7 (Thankfully) Extinct Giant Versions of Modern Animals

By Miss Cellania in Animals & Pets on Mar 9, 2010 at 2:34 pm

Giants once roamed the earth, meaning many species of animals that are familiar to us have enormous extinct ancestors. Cracked looks at seven of them, some of which have been previously featured individually at Neatorama. Take a look at Argentavis magnificens.

As if answering the dare to make us feel more inadequate, the world gave us Argentavis magnificens, the largest flying bird in recorded history. These beasts possessed a wingspan between 19- and 26-feet, and a wing area of 75-feet, which you may notice is only slightly smaller than a Lear Jet. In addition to its staggering size and 240-pound weight, the bird is believed to have swallowed prey as large as cattle in one fell swoop.

Link -via Gorilla Mask

Tags: archaeology, giants, prehistoric, species

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AshleyZ
Mar 9th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
A 240 lb bird swallowing a 2000 lb cow? Unlikely. Oh wait, it’s Cracked. Well, that’s all right then.
Natey
Mar 9th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
It fills me with great sadness to think such awesome creatures will never be seen again. There goes my shot at riding a giant trained bird.
felixthecat
Mar 9th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
It is sad. I seldom enjoy reading about these lost animals and others like them, especially those animals that suffered extinction at the hands of Man: moas, dodos, giant sloths, the 23 other species of pronghorn, mammoths, and so on.
Tim Giachetti
Mar 9th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Thanks Miss C!!
Don’t know how I missed this. I’m a Cracked.com addict.
Alehandro0987654
Mar 9th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
The bear sounded no different than a polar bear or a kodiak brown bear.
Alehandro0987654
Mar 9th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
but good read, didn’t mean to come off as negative nancy
Jessss
Mar 9th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
I know these lists are pretty common on the internet but I love them
felixthecat
Mar 9th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
My foul-mouthed comment is still under moderation?!? All I did was mention moas….I’m sowwy…
SenorMysterioso
Mar 10th, 2010 at 6:01 am
Thunderbird
Wesley
Mar 10th, 2010 at 8:46 am
I couldn’t imagine cleaning up the droppings of a Argentavis magnificens off of my car every other day.
zavatone
Mar 10th, 2010 at 10:37 am
Wesley, maybe this will help: http://i.imgur.com/LarOD.jpg
Stuart McCracken
Mar 10th, 2010 at 10:43 am
I wonder what it tasted like
Helgar
Mar 10th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Psst! Could someone tag this as NSFW. I know it’s small, but there is foul language that might offend someone if the were looking at your screen. Not to be a prude, but my co-workers are.

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