Mammoth & Sabre-Tooth Tiger. Human Evolution – A Land Before Our Time

Description

The saber-toothed cat, giant deer, dwarf elephant, and humans - the evolution of mammals is spectacular. Using a selection of rare objects, we present mammals and their ancestors. The highlight of this exhibition is our famous mammoth. Today, mammals account for about 8.5% of the total vertebrate biodiversity. Their history dates back over 210 million years, to the age of the dinosaurs, and their evolution shows adaptations to all conditions of their respective environments. There are flying forms like bats, purely aquatic groups like whales, and blind species with underground lifestyles like the golden mole. The Mammoth & Sabre-Tooth Tiger exhibition showcases this diversity and its evolution. The odd-toed ungulates like horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs have been known for about 50 million years. Their current low diversity hides a rich history. The animal with claws on display is a striking proof of this. With seven million years, human evolution is considerably shorter but equally breathtaking. Our full plastic reconstructions demonstrate the main stages. Despite their name, not all predators are pure carnivores. The panda, for example, is part of the predator group but is almost 100% vegetarian. The diversity of life on our planet is not only reflected in its nearly countless number but also in the different modes of life. For example, the saber-toothed cat on display, Megantereon, long extinct, was a powerful hunter. It could only use its elongated canines as a knife to deliver a fatal blow, not as a weapon of attack. Note: This text was translated by an automatic translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.

Highlights

• Exhibition on mammal evolution
• Presentation of rare objects, including a mammoth
• Exploration of species diversity over 210 million years

General Information

The 'Mammut & Säbelzahntiger' exhibition is held at the Natural History Museum in Basel. It highlights the evolution of mammals and their ancestors through rare objects and reconstructions, offering a fascinating insight into biodiversity and natural history.

Location

Augustinergasse 2, 4051 Basel, Switzerland

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