Listening to ABC regional radio in the car today I heard about the discovery of marsupial lion bones near Burra in South Australia earlier this year.
The marsupial lion is regarded as part of Australia’s “megafauna” which became extinct about 45,000 years ago.
These were giant versions of wombats and kangaroos, and in this case a carnivorous predator.
The lion’s disappearance is unexplained, although it’s generally linked to climate change or the arrival of humans.
I reckon these beasts would have eaten any blackfellas who came after them, but one theory is the humans introduced fire which changed the lion’s habitat.
It’s a fascinating story and fun to ponder what happened.
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this may show how much I don’t know much about biology … but what makes this a marsupial?
Twitter: mgorey
says:
Hi juliemarg. Apparently the female had a pouch, like a kangaroo, in which it raised its young.