Prehistoric Herp Enthusiast

[DeadlyDanny80]

Wonder what the temperament of these critters were like back in the day...

 

[Porkbones]

How would you heat the enclosure ? lol

 

[SteveNT]

Shy. Reclusive. Easy handlers.

 

[Flaviruthless]

Just to point out - that picture is actually of an art installation at Brisbane's GOMA. The sculpture is 52m long whereas estimations have put Titanoboa's length around 12 - 15m.

Between this and the other large reptiles that used to exist it seems like the prehistoric world would have been a herpetologist's dream!

 

[Paintbrushturkey]

Shy. Reclusive. Easy handlers.

but freaking heavy... and you'd better hope not hungry..

 

[Bluetongue1]

I don't think they make feeding tongs long enough for that mother. Well, not that I would be comfortable with, at least.

What about Megalania prisca that died out with the rest of the Australian mega fauna, about 40,000 to 30,000 years ago. All but identical to modern day Varanus and estimated to be as long as 7m if built like a Komodo Dragon. Komodos get up to 3m and 70kg in weight. Megalania, at maximum size, would have weighed between 1½ to 2 tonnes. I reckon that would add a whole new dimension to herping if it was still around. A bit like dealing with land living saltwater crocodiles. That is one hell of a lizard!

Blue

 

[SteveNT]

And then there was Quinkana a fully terrestrial crocodile of 220kg that also died out 40,000 years ago after existing for 24 million years in northern Australia.

 

[pythonmum]

The Aboriginal people up north may have a dreamtime story or two with Quinkana, as they would have coexisted with the last of them. Have you seen anything like that in rock art, Steve? I have seen the thylacine painting at Ubirr, but wasn't looking for a terrestrial croc. It might look like Megalania in a painting, as they probably met them, too. Mighty brave people to step out in Australia when it was full of giants...

 

[user 16446]

They say anaconda's don't stop growing, but are only limited in size by the food availability. So why don't they keep feeding one and see how big it can get. Obviously there would be some enclosure concerns but they can put a man on the moon! And it's not like they haven't 'made' giant animals before......as in the Liger!

 

[SteveNT]

The Aboriginal people up north may have a dreamtime story or two with Quinkana, as they would have coexisted with the last of them. Have you seen anything like that in rock art, Steve? I have seen the thylacine painting at Ubirr, but wasn't looking for a terrestrial croc. It might look like Megalania in a painting, as they probably met them, too. Mighty brave people to step out in Australia when it was full of giants...

No. Certainly lots of XL snake, goanna and croc paintings but none I could say were Quinkana (with those very distinctive long legs). There is a painting of a mother and child Palorchestes in Death Adder Gorge (Kakadu) and Genyornis east of Katherine. There are also strong rumours of marsupial lion paintings in Central Arnhem Land but I haven't seen them. There are huge "rainbow serpent" paintings in West Arnhem that may have been based on real giant snakes that inhabited the area many moons ago. The Palorchestes amazingly had the stripes and trunks that Michael Archer predicted many years before the discovery.

 

[pythonmum]

You have had some wonderful experiences and sights up north. I'd love to see the Palorchestes. That art is a fantastic record of past life.

 

[imported_Varanus]

Just to point out - that picture is actually of an art installation at Brisbane's GOMA. The sculpture is 52m long whereas estimations have put Titanoboa's length around 12 - 15m.

And likely didn't have fangs! I think the sculptor needs another look at the drawing board.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't think they make feeding tongs long enough for that mother. Well, not that I would be comfortable with, at least.

What about Megalania prisca that died out with the rest of the Australian mega fauna, about 40,000 to 30,000 years ago. All but identical to modern day Varanus and estimated to be as long as 7m if built like a Komodo Dragon. Komodos get up to 3m and 70kg in weight. Megalania, at maximum size, would have weighed between 1½ to 2 tonnes. I reckon that would add a whole new dimension to herping if it was still around. A bit like dealing with land living saltwater crocodiles. That is one hell of a lizard!

I believe latest estimates put large male V. prisca at the equivalent weight of a modern day male Polar Bear, Blue. So somewhere around 600Kg! Still a scary beastie!!

Even way back when Oz was still a unique place to live in comparison to other ho- hum continents, with their run of the mill placental mammals and hominins.