Macrauchenia

extinct animal · South America · ancient ungulate

Long-necked wanderer. Macrauchenia had a long neck like a camel and stood about as tall and heavy as a modern moose, weighing around one tonne (2,200 pounds).

Unusual nose placement. Unlike modern animals, Macrauchenia's nose opening was on top of its skull between its eye sockets, which scientists think might have helped it breathe while eating or filter dust from the air.

Three special toes. Macrauchenia had three toes on each foot, which helped it walk across South American grasslands and forests for millions of years.

Ancient survivor. Macrauchenia belonged to an order called Litopterna that lived in South America for over 60 million years, making it one of the last members before it went extinct at the end of the ice age.

Before modern animals came. When camels, horses, and other animals first arrived in South America about 2.5 million years ago, Macrauchenia's relatives had already been living there for tens of millions of years.