Scientists Amazed To Unearth 26 Million-Year-Old Giant Rhino, Hornless Creature Was 'Taller Than a Giraffe'

The fauna population of the past has been a huge source of mystery for experts worldwide. Now and then, new species come forth due to stunning discoveries all over the Earth. In 2015, a new species came to light in China, stated BBC. Findings regarding this species were published in the Communications Biology journal.

The new species was an ancient giant rhino, as per researchers. Fossils of this species were detected near the Wangjiachuan village. Examination unveiled that the features of this species were different from those observed in other known varieties of ancient giant rhinos. The species was named Paraceratherium linxiaense, and the remains indicated that they lived around 26.5 million years ago. Further analysis indicated that these beings reached a height of 23ft (7m). This makes them even taller than a modern-day giraffe.

The remains belonged to two giant rhinos and were embedded in Late Oligocene deposits, stated Smithsonian Magazine. The team used laser scans on the remains to create 3D reconstructions of the rhinos. The beast had four bony legs and weighed somewhere between 11 and 20 metric tons, which is equivalent to three to five African elephants. Researchers suggested that the being's legs must have been great for running.

Experts observed that these creatures had no horns, stated BBC. At the site, experts garnered a skull and jawbone of this ancient rhino species in exceptional condition. These particular remains indicated that the rhino had a slender skull, along with a prehensile nose trunk, also found in modern tapirs. The team detected similarities between Paraceratherium linxiaense and giant rhinos that once inhabited Pakistan. This implies that P. linxiaense travelled through Central Asia.

If the rhino's route involved north-west China and the Indian-Pakistani subcontinent, this meant that the Tibetan Plateau had certain low-lying areas. "Tropical conditions allowed the giant rhino to return northward to Central Asia, implying that the Tibetan region was still not uplifted as a high-elevation plateau," said Dr Deng Tao. The newfound species was the sixth species of hornless rhino to be detected in Asia at that time, stated Smithsonian Magazine. In the past, multiple fossils of ancient giant rhinos have been uncovered in Asian countries like China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan. Researchers were hopeful that the fossils would aid them in understanding the origins of ancient rhinos within the region, their spread across Eurasia, and their later evolution.

Researchers believe that these rhinos moved from Central Asia to South Asia during the Early Oligocene. This speculation was made based on the trail of various giant rhino fossils. The study claims this was because Central Asia at that time had become arid, while South Asia was humid. The latter also had a lot of flora, which was a good food source for these rhinos. Experts suggested that the rhinos initially moved into northwest China and Kazakhstan from the Mongolian Plateau. Then, they voyaged from Tibet into Pakistan. "Animal migration is linked to climate change. So 31 million years ago, when the Mongolian plateau dried up, they moved south," Deng said.