Daily Dose of Prehistory: Back From Extinction 10

Amphicyon major, which means "Ambiguous Dog", is an extinct genus of large carnivorous bone-crushing mammals, widely known as bear dogs that ranged over North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa from the Early Miocene to the late Pliocene. Amphicyon itself was a typical bear-dog, having traits from both groups, being built like a bear and living like one (an 8-foot long, 1300 pound bear no less) but looking like a dog. Amphicyon helped contribute to the mini-mass extinction that happened when Asia and North America connected, as it outcompeted all other native predators except for a few certain species of enteledonts. Ironically this is the fate that would befall Amphicyon itself, as its large body mass would prevent it from hunting as effectively as bears, dogs, and cats chased down faster prey, leading to its extinction some 2.6 million years ago.

Bear Fox