The saber-toothed tiger, scientifically known as Smilodon, is one of the most iconic mammals of the Pleistocene epoch. These predators roamed the Americas from approximately 2.5 million years ago until their extinction around 11,700 years ago, marking the end of the Ice Age. While often called a tiger, Smilodon was not closely related to modern tigers or other extant cats, belonging instead to the extinct subfamily Machairodontinae. The most distinctive feature of Smilodon was its elongated canine teeth, which could reach up to 28 cm (11 inches) in length in the largest species. These formidable teeth, combined with a robust build, made Smilodon a formidable predator of large mammals.
Anatomy and Appearance
Smilodon was around the size of modern big cats but was more robustly built. Smilodon gracilis was the smallest species at 55 to 100 kg (121 to 220 lb) in weight. Smilodon fatalis had a weight of 160 to 280 kg (350 to 620 lb) and height of 100 cm (39 in). Smilodon populator from South America was the largest species, at 220 to 436 kg (485 to 961 lb) in weight and 120 cm (47 in) in height, and was among the largest known felids. Their skulls were robustly proportioned with short, broad muzzles, deep zygomatic arches, and prominent sagittal crests. The upper incisors were large, sharp, and slanted forwards. The mandible had a flange on each side of the front, and the lower incisors were broad, recurved, and placed in a straight line across.
The fossil record has preserved only the bones of Smilodon, making the true appearance of this animal uncertain. It is likely that a saber-toothed tiger would have had coloration that allowed it to camouflage itself in the tall grass when waiting for prey. This means it could have been brown, tan, white, yellow, or even black if it hunted at night.
Hunting Strategies
Smilodon was an apex predator, primarily hunting large mammals. Its hunting strategy likely resembled that of modern lions, with the saber-toothed tiger potentially hunting in packs. They likely wandered around to find an area with good prospects for a meal and then hunched down to stay perfectly still and wait for their prey to get close enough to pounce. This ambush hunting style is supported by their limb proportions, which are similar to modern forest-dwelling cats.
Research on the dental markings on the teeth of the saber-toothed tiger suggests that they did not eat many bones, so it is likely there was plenty of food supply available for easy-to-kill animals. The scientists concluded this because the large teeth could be easily broken if used to grab and hold. This creature could use its front claws and forearms to wrestle an animal down and then bite its neck to rip open its throat. Their prey would be surprised by the attack and, with one or more bites from the group attack, be mortally wounded. These animals would then follow the prey as it tried to escape while bleeding profusely. When the animal lost enough blood it would collapse and die. Then, it was time for a meal.
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Diet and Prey
Studies of the fossil records of the saber-toothed tigers’ teeth indicate that they mostly ate large animals with thick skin and muscles, and then left the bones behind for some other scavenger. The saber-toothed tiger was a very capable hunter and took down many creatures on its own, such as bison, camels, horses, woolly mammoths, mastodons (now-extinct, huge, hairy elephants), and giant sloths.
As Smilodon migrated to South America, its diet changed; bison were absent, the horses and proboscideans were different, and native ungulates such as toxodonts and litopterns were completely unfamiliar, yet Smilodon populator thrived as well there as its relatives in North America. Isotopic analysis for Smilodon populator suggests that its main prey species included the camel like litoptern ungulate Macrauchenia, the rhinoceros-like ungulate Toxodon platensis, the large armadillo relatives Pachyarmatherium, Holmesina, species of the glyptodont genus Panochthus, the llama Palaeolama, the ground sloth Catonyx, and the equine Equus neogeus, and the crocodilian Caiman latirostris. This analysis of its diet also indicates that Smilodon populator hunted both in open and forested habitats.
Stable carbon isotope measurements of S. gracilis remains in Florida varied significantly between different sites and show that the species was flexible in its feeding habits. Dental microwear shows a trend of S. gracilis consuming harder, tougher foods during glacials as compared to interglacials. This finding suggests that S.
gracilis altered its dietary habits to accommodate the available food resources during different climatic conditions.
Regional Variations in Diet
The species of S. gracilis and S. fatalis lived mostly in North America. The S. populator lived in South America. The differences between the North and South American species may be due to the difference in prey between the two continents. In North America, Smilodon hunted large herbivores such as bison and camels. Smilodon fatalis may have also occasionally preyed upon Glyptotherium, based on a skull from a juvenile Glyptotherium texanum recovered from Pleistocene deposits in Arizona that bear the distinctive elliptical puncture marks best matching those of Smilodon, indicating that the predator successfully bit into the skull through the glyptodont's armored cephalic shield.
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In South America, Smilodon populator preyed on a variety of large mammals, including the camel like litoptern ungulate Macrauchenia, the rhinoceros-like ungulate Toxodon platensis, the large armadillo relatives Pachyarmatherium, Holmesina, species of the glyptodont genus Panochthus, the llama Palaeolama, the ground sloth Catonyx, and the equine Equus neogeus, and the crocodilian Caiman latirostris.
Evidence from Fossil Remains
Thousands of fossils of saber-toothed tigers were found in the La Brea Tar Pits located in Los Angeles. They got stuck in the tar trying to prey on the other animals that were stuck. It is the second most commonly found fossil at that location. This creature may have enjoyed a nice last meal before succumbing to death by slowly sinking into the tar.
Coprolites assigned to S. populator recovered from Argentina preserve osteoderms from the ground sloth Mylodon and a Lama scaphoid bone.
Factors Contributing to Extinction
The saber-toothed tiger went extinct around 11,700 years ago. After the end of the Ice Ace, most of the megafauna went extinct, including the saber-toothed tiger. This happened during the Quaternary extinction event. Megafauna is large-sized creatures like woolly mammoths, giant sloths, and saber-toothed tigers.
Research conducted by the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA concluded that the extinction of the saber-toothed tiger was likely caused by the warming climate at the end of the Ice Age and being hunted by humans. Previously, it was incorrectly assumed that the saber-toothed tiger became extinct because the food supply ran out. However, there is no evidence that they were forced to eat more bones, which is what happens if the food is in short supply Eating more bones would show up in the fossil record as patterns on the teeth. But this did not happen. The impact of climate change on its ability to survive was very dramatic. Climate change affected the animals and also brought human migration.
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