Among prehistoric clearings, caves and waterfalls, come face to face with legendary creatures of the past.
In Sapiens you will venture into a world populated by true giants such as the Mammoth, the Giant Sloth and the Sabre-Toothed Tiger, species that have left an indelible mark on the history of our planet and that reveal to us how the history of man is inextricably intertwined with these wonders of the past.
Mammoth, the Ice Age Giant
With its massive tusks and massive size, it was a true giant of the Ice Age. These cold-adapted herbivores roamed the steppes and tundras, leaving traces of their presence in the fossil record. Their extinction, which occurred about 4,000 years ago, is still shrouded in mystery, but it is believed that climate change and hunting by humans played a crucial role.
The Giant Sloth, great digger
The Giant Sloth, with its imposing size and powerful claws, was a peaceful herbivore that fed on leaves and fruit. Called Megalonix Jeffersonii, it was an animal of impressive size but was surprisingly agile and capable of digging. This ability led it to seek shelter and food in caves, leaving traces of its passage. South American caves still preserve clear signs of the activity of Megalonix : deep scratches on the rock walls, prints of its powerful paws and mounds of loose earth. These marks were initially attributed to the first human inhabitants of the caves. For a long time, scientists remained perplexed by these marks, unable to reconcile their size and depth with the capabilities of primitive people. Thanks to more in-depth studies, it was understood that the real architects of these excavations were the Giant Sloths. Their extinction, which occurred about 10,000 years ago, is probably linked to hunting by early humans.
The Sabre-Toothed Tiger, a Fearsome Predator
The saber-toothed tiger, with its sharp fangs and powerful muscles, was a fearsome predator that hunted large herbivores. These felines, adapted to hunting in open environments, became extinct about 10,000 years ago, probably due to the decrease in prey and competition with other predators, such as humans.
The Giant Deer
The largest deer ever, also found in our Po Valley, is known for its palmate antler up to 3.5 meters wide. Its concavity and structure indicate that it was not used as a weapon of offense or defense, but rather as a clear visual message that determined the hierarchy between males and highlighted dangerous physical clashes. It became extinct about 7,000 years ago. The causes of its extinction were most likely climate changes at the end of the Ice Age.
The history of man is inextricably linked with that of these animals. Our ancestors, hunters and gatherers, lived together with Mammoths, Giant Sloths, Deer and Tigers, learning to know them, fear them and respect them. There is much evidence of this coexistence: cave paintings, fossil finds and hunting traces tell us of a world in which man and animals lived in close contact. The history of these extinct giants reminds us of the importance of biodiversity and the fragility of natural balances.
it
