During the Ice Age, the short-faced bear was among the most menacing animals to reside in North America. If they weren’t extinct, they would still tower over the bears that inhabit these same areas today.

But how much do you really know about the short-faced bear? And with no natural predators, what could have happened to them? 

Let’s take al look at this exciting creature and what led to its disappearance. 

How Big Was the Short-Faced Bear?

The short-faced bear was a Goliath of an animal. While on all fours, it stood approximately 6 feet tall at the shoulders. When they stood up on two legs, they were 11-12 feet tall! Their arms reach was believed to be an incredible 14 and a half feet – or possibly higher. 

The short-faced bear is estimated to have weighed around 2500 pounds on average. In fact, one bear was uncovered in South America, weighing roughly 3500 pounds, making it the largest bear ever discovered.

Short-Faced Bears Diet?

The diet and hunting style of the short-faced bear has been subject to debate. The bear was initially believed to chase down its prey with its long limbs. Similar to giant ground sloths. 

But recent studies suggest that it was more likely to have been an omnivore and ate whatever it could find. The longer, thinner limbs would not be able to support the sudden turns or quick agility required to chase down prey. But the bear could easily steal the kills of a big cat or dire wolf with its overwhelming size and chow down on the leftovers!

The Habitat of a Short-Faced Bear

The Short-Faced bear lived roughly 8,000 to 12,500 years ago during the Pleistocene period. It inhabited much of North America, from Alaska to Mexico. They have been uncovered as far east as Virginia and as far south as Southern Patagonia.

Covering such a massive area, the short-faced bear inhabited a range of diverse climatic conditions. These include subtropical woodlands, steppe tundra, open plains, grasslands, and boreal forests!

The Behavior of the Short-Faced Bear

The nasal opening of the short-faced bear leads researchers to believe it had an elevated sense of smell. The large teeth in their cheek are perfect for cracking bones, and the razor-sharp fangs are excellent for tearing flesh. Similar to modern bears, they were likely solitary scavengers that traveled vast distances using the wind as their compass toward a fresh carcass. 

Based on the findings of females in or around caves, it is likely to have been the denning location for short-faced bears. Cubs would stay with their mothers until they could survive on their own. 

What Happened to the Short-Faced Bear?

Habitat was vastly changed by the disappearance of the northern grasslands depriving them of their best scavenging areas. It is also possible they were outpaced by the slighter, more efficient brown bears that migrated from the west. Climate change played a significant role in the disappearance of the short-faced bear. 

Humans would have also been directly competing with short-faced bears for the large herbivores they depended on. The most likely conclusion is that the combination of climate change, competition, and disease led to the extinction of this remarkable creature.

Conclusion

The short-faced bear had a good run. It is believed to have inhabited the earth for over 800,000 years and survived a variety of heating and cooling events. But like most creatures that made up the Pleistocene period, fossils give us the only window into their fascinating existence.

The post The Giant Short-Faced Bear of the Ice Age first appeared on History In Memes.

Have you ever seen a 6’7” man with a peg leg wearing a legit polar bear fur coat? Well, now you can say you have! This 1947 photo of explorer Peter Freuchen wearing said-coat with his third wife is certainly a sight to see. The crazy thing? This photo doesn’t even capture the unbelievably exciting life Peter led. 

So who is the man behind this eye-catching coat? Here’s 10 facts about the adventurous life of Peter Freuchen! 

1. Peter Freuchen held many titles.

Born in Denmark in 1886, Freuchen was a world traveler, arctic explorer, filmmaker, cartographer, zoologist, author and journalist. On top of this, he also led the Danish Professional Boxing Federation. 

2. Freuchen was somewhat of an on-camera personality. 

He even appeared on an American TV quiz show called the “$64,000 Question,” becoming the fifth person to ever win it. Peter later went on to write and star in multiple movies.

3. Peter stood at 6 feet and 7 inches tall – even with his signature peg leg

Peter lost his leg to frostbite, but this didn’t hold him back!

4. Peter Freuchen killed wolves with his bare hands – he definitely knew how to survive the elements

On top of this, he amputated his own toes with a pair of pliers and escaped being buried alive in an avalanche by molding a knife from his own frozen bodily waste! 

5. From 1910 to 1924, Peter Freuchen embarked on several expeditions alongside famous polar explorer Knud Rasmussen. 

The pair worked together to cross the Greenland Ice Sheet and lived amongst the Inuit people for many years. They established the Thule Trading Station further north than any other trading post in the world.

6. Peter was a proud Jewish man who never attempted to hide it. 

He faced any antisemitism that came his way head-on and would confront anyone who dared spread hate in his presence.

In fact, Peter returned home to Denmark and was affiliated with the Danish Resistance Movement during WWII. He was arrested and sentenced to die by the Nazis before escaping and fleeing to Sweden! That’s when he met his second wife and fled to New York City.

7. Freuchen studied medicine at the University of Copenhagen in 1904. 

By 1906, he dropped out of school to depart on his first polar expedition, the Denmark Expedition. 

8. Peter married three times in his life.

 His first marriage ended in heartbreak when his wife, Navarana Mequpaluk, died of the Spanish Flu. His next marriage was to Magdalene Vang Lauridsen, a Vogue writer and the daughter of a Danish businessman. When that didn’t work out, he settled in with his third wife and fashion Illustrator, Dagmar Cohn (as pictured earlier). 

9. Freuchen wrote over 30 books about his expeditions

Peter received multiple literary awards for his work. His last book, Book of the Seven Seas, was prefaced on August 30, 1957. 

10. Peter Freuchen died of a heart attack in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1957 

His ashes were spread outside Thule, Greenland, on the famed table-shaped Mount Dundas. 

He was so beloved by Greenland that they named Freuchen Land and Navarana Fjord after him and his wife. Also, the Adventurers Club of Denmark later honored Peter by planting an oak tree accompanied by an Eskimo Cairn near the site of his first expedition’s departure. 

Peter Freuchen’s Legacy

Throughout his thrilling 71 years, Peter Freuchen had enough adventures for ten lifetimes. He lived on his own terms and always stood up for his beliefs. Peter Freuchen certainly earned his place as one of the most exciting men throughout history (with a very cool polar bear coat to prove it!)

The post Explorer Peter Freuchen In Polar Bear Fur first appeared on History In Memes.