30 Fascinating Photos of Fossilized Animals Compared to Their Future Furry Friends

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jul 5, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Hey, friends. When you were a kid, did you ever pretend that you lived in the prehistoric ages? Especially after seeing Jurassic Park, we always dreamed of what it would be like to live with long-extinct animals. Although, we could do without the dinosaurs. It really was a different Earth back then, but you can't fully understand the gap between then and now until you see the size differences between the animals that were and the animals that are currently today.

This listicle is full of interesting images and fascinating photos of prehistoric animals compared to their future furry friends. Some of them look quite familiar, while others looks like unique animals unrelated to their current versions at all! Although this may not help you survive in a prehistoric scenario, at least you'll be able to call them by name. Who knows, you might be able to domesticate one of them and survive together. Scroll down to see all these cool animals below, and don't go to any amusement parks advertising live dinosaurs.

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  • 01
    Choloepus didactylus/Megatherium americanum SIZE COMPARISON The modern Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) HISTORIC PRE Uchyte FAUNA The extinct ground sloth (Megatherium americanum)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel

    Are you joking us? Can you imagine a slot that big? Where trees bigger back then as well? Good thing sloths are herbivores, because that big guy looks like he would be a nasty one to argue with over a piece of food!

  • 02
    Cariama cristata/Kelenken guillermoi SIZE COMPARISON The modern seriema (Cariama cristata) The extinct Kelenken (Kelenken guillermol) FAUNA HISTORIC Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel

    This is like that meme that says: When you order something online vs. when you see it in person. It always ends up much smaller than it looks on the website and not fitting quite right. Are you sure these two are actually related?

  • 03
    Lasiorhinus krefftii/Diprotodon opatum SIZE COMPARISON The modern northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) The extinct Diprotodon (Diprotodon opatum) FAUNA HISTORIC PREHIST Uchytel
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 04
    Carcharodon carcharias/Otodus megalodon SIZE COMPARISON The modern great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) FAUNA HISTORIC PREHISTO Uchyte The extinct Megalodon (Otodus megalodon)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 05
    Neofelis nebulosaa/Smilodon populator SIZE COMPARISON The modern clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) The extinct saber-tooth cat (Smilodon populator) PREHISTO HISTORIC FAUNA Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 06
    Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris/Josephoartigasia monesi SIZE COMPARISON The modern Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) The extinct Josephoartigasia (Josephoartigasia monesi) FAUNA HISTORIC Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 07
    Varanus komodoensis/Varanus priscus SIZE COMPARISON The modern Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) The extinct Megalania (Megalania prisca or Varanus priscus) HISTORIC BIG FAUNA Uchytel
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 08
    Giraffa camelopardalis/Sivatherium giganteum SIZE COMPARISON The modern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) The extinct Sivatherium (Sivatherium giganteum) FAUNA Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 09
    Tremarctos ornatus/Arctotherium angustidens SIZE COMPARISON The modern spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) The extinct Pleistocene South American short-faced bear (Arctotherium angustidens) FAUNA HISTORIC PREHIST Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 10
    Sus scrofa ussuricus/Daeodon shoshonensis SIZE COMPARISON The modem Ussuri Boar (Sus scrofa ussuricus) AUNA HISTORIC PRE Uchyte The extinct Daeodon (Daeodon shoshonensis)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 11
    Priodontes maximus/Glyptodon elongatus SIZE COMPARISON The modern glant armadillo (Prodontes maximus) AUNA HISTORIC Uchyte The extinct Glyptodon (Glyptodon)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 12
    Pongo abelii/Gigantopithecus blacki SIZE COMPARISON The modern Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) HISTORIC PR Uchyte FAUNA The extinct Gigantopithecus (Gigantopithecus blacki)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 13
    Panthera leo/Panthera atrox SIZE COMPARISON The modern African lion (Panthera leo) The American cave lion (Panthera atrox) REHISTO STORIC FAUNA Uchytel
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 14
    Ceratotherium simum/Coelodonta antiquitatis SIZE COMPARISON The modern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) The extinct woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) FAUNA HISTORIC Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 15
    Acinonyx jubatus/Acinonyx pardinensis SIZE COMPARISON The modern cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) The extinct Pleistocene giant cheetah (Acinonyx pardinensis) FAUNA ISTORIC PREHIST Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 16
    Elephas maximus maximus/Mammuthus primigenius SIZE COMPARISON The modern Asian elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) The extinct Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) HISTORIC Uchyte FAUNA
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 17
    Bison bison/Bison latifrons SIZE COMPARISON The modern American bison (Bison bison) The extinct Giant long-horned bison (Bison latifrons) FAUNA HISTORIC PREHIST Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 18
    Panthera tigris altaica/Panthera tigris soloensis SIZE COMPARISON The modern Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) PRE FAUNA ISTORIC Uchytel The extinct Ngandong tiger (Panthera tigris soloensis)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 19
    Loxodonta africana/Palaeoloxodon namadicus SIZE COMPARISON The modern African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) HISTORIC PREHISTO FAUNA The extinct Asian straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon namadicus) Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 20
    Equus ferus przewalskii/Equus giganteus SIZE COMPARISON The extinct Giant horse (Equus giganteus) FAUNA The modern Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) HISTORIC Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 21
    Struthio camelus/Vorombe titan SIZE COMPARISON The modern Common ostrich (Struthio camelus) FAUNA HISTORIC PREHIST Uchyte The extinct elephant bird Vorombe titan)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 22
    Indri indri/Archaeoindris fontoynontii SIZE COMPARISON The modern indri or babakoto (Indri indr) HISTORIC Uchyte G FAUNA The extinct giant lemur (Archaeoindris fontoynontii)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 23
    Camelus bactrianus/Titanotylopus SIZE COMPARISON The extinct Titanotylopus (Titanotylopus nebraskensis) FAUNA The modern Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) ISTORIC Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 24
    Canis lupus lupus/Epicyon haydeni SIZE COMPARISON The modern common wolf (Canis lupus lupus) HISTORIC PRE Uchyte FAUNA The extinct Epicyon (Epicyon haydeni)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 25
    The modern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Ceratotherium simum/Paraceratherium transouralicum SIZE COMPARISON PR ISTORIC Uchyte FAUNA The extinct Paraceratherium (Paracerathenium transouralicum)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 26
    Melanosuchus niger/Purussaurus brasiliensis SIZE COMPARISON FAUNA The modern black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) HISTORIC Uchyte The extinct Purussaurus (Purussaurus brasiliensis)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 27
    PPanthera onca/Panthera onca augusta SIZE COMPARISON The modern South American jaguar (Panthera onca) The extinct Pleistocene North American jaguar (Panthera onca augusta) HISTORIC Uchyte FAUNA
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 28
    Hippopotamus amphibius/Hippopotamus gorgops SIZE COMPARISON The extinct giant Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus gorgops) The modern river hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) HISTORIC Uchyte FAUNA
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 29
    Vultur gryphus/Argentavis magnificens SIZE COMPARISON The modern Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) HISTORIC PREHISTO Uchyte FAUNA The extinct Giant Teratorn (Argentavis magnificens)
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel
  • 30
    Theropithecus gelada/Theropithecus oswaldi SIZE COMPARISON The modern gelada (Theropithecus gelada) The extinct giant gelada (Theropithecus oswaldi) FAUNA HISTORIC Uchyte
    via Prehistoric Fauna Uchytel

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nature cool fascinating interesting friends future fossils furry animals
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