What was the Miocene epoch?

The Miocene epoch lasted from about 23 to 5.3 million years ago. It was a time of global cooling and the expansion of grasslands, which led to the diversification of grazing animals.

What are some extinct animals from the Miocene?

The Miocene was home to animals such as the Hyaenodon, a powerful carnivorous mammal, and Indricothere, the largest known land mammal.

What was the climate of the Miocene like?

The Miocene climate was warmer than today's, but it was a period of global cooling and drying. Ice caps formed on Antarctica, and forests gave way to expanding grasslands.

Extinct Animals - Fact Sheet: Extinct animals of the Miocene Epoch

The Miocene Epoch spanned from about 23 to 5.3 million years ago. This period saw a significant global cooling and a shift in ecosystems. The tropical forests of the Eocene gave way to cooler, drier climates, which allowed grasslands to spread across much of the world. This new environment was perfect for the evolution and diversification of grazing animals. The expansion of grasslands led to the evolution of many new mammals, including giraffes, antelopes, and a variety of hoofed animals. It was also during the Miocene that we see the first true great apes in Africa and Eurasia. The ancestors of modern elephants, giraffes, and hippos were also present. In the oceans, the massive megalodon shark was the apex predator, hunting whales that were becoming more widespread. This epoch is sometimes called the "Golden Age of Mammals" due to the incredible variety and size of the animals that roamed the Earth. The cooling trend continued throughout the Miocene, setting the stage for the next period, the Pliocene.

Featured animals from this time:

Entelodonts were massive, pig-like omnivores that lived during the late Eocene to Miocene. They had a huge head, strong jaws, and a bulky body, making them a formidable scavenger and predator.

Indricothere was the largest land mammal ever to exist, living during the Oligocene. It was a hornless relative of the rhinoceros, with a long neck and massive body, feeding on treetop vegetation.

Macrauchenia was a long-necked, hoofed mammal from South America, resembling a camel with a short trunk. It lived from the Miocene to the Ice Age and grazed in open grasslands.

Phorusrhacos was a large, flightless bird from South America, known as a “terror bird.” It had a strong beak and long legs, making it a fast and deadly predator during the Miocene.

Gomphothere was a large, elephant-like mammal that roamed the Americas during the Ice Age. It had a long trunk and distinctive tusks, which it used to dig for roots and strip bark from trees. Unlike modern elephants, some species had four tusks and a flatter skull, helping them adapt to diverse environments.

Mastodon was a shaggy, elephant-like mammal that lived across North America during the Ice Age. It had straight tusks and a low, sloping skull, which helped it browse on shrubs and trees. Unlike mammoths, mastodons had cusped teeth suited for chewing tough vegetation in forested environments.

When They Lived: Miocene

The Miocene Epoch

Featured animals from this time:

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