Mammal
Felis fatalis
Felis fatalisAlso known as Saber-toothed Cat, Saber-toothed Tiger, Sabertooth
Smilodon fatalis was an exceptionally robust apex predator equipped with enormous, blade-like upper canines reaching up to 18 centimeters in length. Unlike modern running cats, its heavily muscled forelimbs and stocky build were tailored for grappling massive megafauna to the ground before delivering a precision shearing bite to the throat. Fossil evidence from asphalt seeps reveals healed fractures and communal feeding traces, suggesting these powerful felids lived and hunted in cooperative social groups.
CarnivorePrehistoricApex Predator
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAncient bison, Western camel, Harlan's ground sloth
ThreatsExtinct; perished due to late Pleistocene climate change and loss of large prey
HabitatsPleistocene grasslands, open woodlands, shrubby plains, and savanna mosaics
Life spanEstimated 15–25 years in the wild
Classification
- FamilyFelidae
- SpeciesFelis fatalis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species known exclusively from fossil and subfossil records.
Responsible observation
- Museum Etiquette: Observe mounted skeletons and cast fossils without touching delicate surfaces.
- Fossil Sites: Visit interpreted fossil locations like the La Brea Tar Pits to view recovered specimens.
Competitor (c) Dawn Pedersen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Competitor (c) Dantheman9758, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Wilfredor, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Same Family Skb8721 / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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