Buzz
Humans are typically not regarded as the ultimate predators since there are many animals capable of hunting us. Though these creatures don’t actively seek us out, and generally prefer to avoid human interaction, that wasn’t always the case.
Throughout much of our evolutionary past, humans were at the mercy of various predators. Early humans, hominins, and ancient primates, including the ancestors of Homo sapiens, often found themselves at the mercy of several dangerous animals that frequently sought them as prey.
10. Saber-Toothed Tiger
Saber-toothed tigers didn’t shy away from preying on early humans when the chance arose, making them a constant threat to our ancestors.
In 2015, researchers uncovered 300,000-year-old tooth and bone fossils from two saber-toothed cats in Schoningen, Germany. Analysis showed that one of the bones had been used as a hammer by a member of Homo heidelbergensis, a likely ancestor of modern humans.
Homo heidelbergensis was a skilled hunter, using wooden spears to take down large animals like rhinos, bison, and giant deer. However, they wisely avoided the saber-toothed cat, only engaging in combat if necessary for self-defense.
In the Djurab Desert in Chad, another discovery revealed that Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a much older potential human and chimpanzee ancestor that lived between 6.5 and 7.5 million years ago, coexisted with at least three species of saber-toothed cats, including the massive Machairodus kabir.
The M. kabir weighed between 350 and 490 kilograms (770–1,018 lb), while the largest modern tigers top out at 300 kilograms (660 lb). The fossil of S. tchadensis was found alongside those of other creatures such as crocodiles, monkeys, horses, hyenas, and honey badgers. Experts believe the saber-toothed cats hunted S. tchadensis just like their other prey.
9. Haast’s Eagle
According to Maori legends, a gigantic bird once existed that hunted and consumed human infants centuries ago. The Maori named this bird Te Hokioi (or Pouakai), though scientists identify it as the Haast’s eagle.
As described by the Maori, the Haast’s eagle was indeed capable of capturing human children, and it likely did. It would have been more than capable of killing an adult human too. The eagle's main prey was the moa, an enormous, now-extinct flightless bird that was far larger than a human, and much bigger than the eagle itself.
The Haast’s eagle was the apex predator in New Zealand. Standing 0.9 meters (3 ft) tall, it was 1.5 meters (5 ft) long and weighed 14 kilograms (31 lb). Its wingspan stretched to 3 meters (9.8 ft), and its beak and talons were twice as large as those of today’s largest eagles.
The Maori indirectly contributed to the extinction of the Haast’s eagle by hunting the moa to extinction. By around 1400, the eagle had vanished, as there was no longer any prey large enough to satisfy its insatiable hunger.
8. Crocodylus Anthropophagus
Crocodylus anthropophagus is an extinct, massive crocodile that preyed on early humans and hominins 1.84 million years ago. Its name, anthropophagus, meaning “eater of humans,” reflects its preference for human flesh.
The first fossil of C. anthropophagus was uncovered in 2007 in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. At the time, Homo habilis and Australopithecus boisei, two early human ancestors, inhabited the region. Numerous fossils bearing crocodile bite marks were also discovered.
Historians believe the crocodile lurked beneath the water, leaping out to seize unsuspecting prey seeking a drink. Experts think early humans and hominins were a significant part of the crocodile’s diet.
7. Snakes
Humans possess an inherent fear of snakes—a fear that shaped our evolution. Snakes and primates have coexisted for 100 million years, with snakes viewing primates as a regular food source.
Lynne Isbell of the University of California suggests that the deep-rooted fear of becoming a snake’s meal led ancient primates to develop larger brains and sharper eyesight. While they could already detect other predators from a distance, snakes were trickier to spot due to their ability to slither on the ground. They would silently approach their prey before coiling around them to strangle them.
Early primates evolved the ability to see color, detect movement, and perceive depth in 3-D, which helped them identify snakes. About 60 million years ago, venomous snakes emerged, using venom as a way to overcome the enhanced vision of early primates. In turn, primates developed larger brains to process visual information more quickly. Snakes and humans continue to be mortal enemies, but humans now have the upper hand.
6. Crocodylus Thorbjarnarsoni
Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni was another ancient crocodile likely responsible for hunting early humans. It lived around Lake Turkana in Kenya between two and four million years ago. True to crocodile nature, it lay in wait underwater, ambushing any animal that came to drink.
C. thorbjarnarsoni grew to an astounding 8.3 meters (27.2 ft) in length, making it the largest crocodile ever. For reference, the largest crocodile in captivity today measures 6.1 meters (20.3 ft). Early humans had a distinct disadvantage when facing C. thorbjarnarsoni: its sheer size.
At the time, early humans were much smaller, growing to only 1.2 meters (4 ft) tall. This size difference meant that the crocodile could easily swallow them whole. While historians cannot definitively confirm whether the crocodile ever preyed on early humans, it’s highly unlikely that any evidence will be found. Any prey would have been fully digested in the crocodile’s stomach.
5. Cave Bear
The cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) emerged around 100,000 years ago and became extinct about 25,000 years ago. It roamed Europe, where it hibernated in caves during the winter months. Numerous caves still contain the remains of these bears today. In the Middle Ages, people even believed their fossils were the remains of dragons.
The cave bear roamed the Earth alongside Neanderthals until modern humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Both species of early humans lived in the same caves as the bears, which sometimes led to intense conflicts. These clashes were primarily about territory, as the cave bear mainly fed on plants. Humans did not typically hunt the bear due to its massive size and danger, but they did hunt it when circumstances demanded it.
Occasionally, the cave bears moved to different caves, while humans stayed in the caves during the summer months and vacated them when the bears returned to hibernate in the winter. Nevertheless, confrontations were inevitable, as unsuspecting humans could accidentally wander into a cave already occupied by a bear, startling it.
4. Unidentified Eagle
In 1924, a two-million-year-old fossil skull of a young Australopithecus africanus was uncovered in South Africa. Scientists consider this hominin the missing link in the evolution of humanity, and its discovery is the primary reason historians claim that human beings first evolved in Africa.
The fossil, known as the Taung child, is thought to have belonged to a young individual about three and a half years old at the time of its death. It was found alongside the remains of various other animals, suggesting they were all victims of a predator. Initially, researchers speculated that the Taung child had been killed by either a saber-toothed cat or a leopard, but closer examination of the skull's markings points to a different culprit: an unidentified eagle.
The skull displays injuries that resemble those caused by the talons of an eagle. Bite marks consistent with an eagle's beak were also found. The eagle that may have been responsible would have been a fierce predator, likely resembling the modern African crowned eagle.
The marks around the eye socket of the Taung child resemble those found on monkey remains eaten by eagles. Eagles typically use their talons and beaks to remove the eyes before reaching the brain. Larger predators like leopards or saber-toothed cats would have crushed the skull instead, as their prey's eye sockets were too small to target for removal.
However, some scientists argue that the Taung child might have been taken by a larger predator, arguing that humans were too large to fall prey to an eagle. But considering the Taung child was a toddler at the time of death, it would have been the same size, if not smaller, than the usual prey of the eagle. In fact, smaller eagles today are known to hunt and kill human infants.
3. Almost Every Carnivore
Proconsul, one of the earliest known ancestors of modern humans, was a meal for virtually any carnivore. This genus, which lived in Africa around 20 million years ago, is believed to be the first true ape. It is regarded as the shared ancestor of both apes and monkeys. It grew between 0.9 and 1.5 meters (3–5 ft) in length, weighed between 11 and 45 kilograms (25–100 lb), and lacked a tail.
Proconsul bore a striking resemblance to a monkey (except for the absence of a tail), had the intelligence typical of monkeys, and moved around on all fours like one. It fell prey to nearly every type of carnivore, from birds to mammals. In fact, researchers have discovered numerous fossils, aged 16 to 20 million years, showing evidence that creodonts, a group of extinct carnivorous mammals, hunted Proconsul as prey.
2. Other Humans
Researchers have uncovered several fossils of cannibalized Neanderthals across Europe. However, it is not believed that Neanderthals typically hunted their own species for nourishment. The calorie count in a human body is too low to sustain another. A horse contains 200,000 calories, while a human holds only about 32,000.
On the other hand, Neanderthals could have been more calorically dense due to their greater muscle mass. Moreover, a number of fossils were found clustered together, suggesting that Neanderthals may have consumed many others in one sitting. Scientists hypothesize that these killings might have been caused by famine, ritual practices, or self-defense.
1. Ancient Hyenas
In 1994, a 500,000-year-old femur of a Homo rhodesiensis was discovered in a cave in Casablanca, Morocco. Homo rhodesiensis, a subspecies of Homo heidelbergensis, is believed to be the common ancestor of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. It wasn’t until the 21st century that scientists identified this fossil as belonging to early humans, as the bone showed signs of being severely broken and chewed by an extinct hyena.
It is known that both humans and ancient hyenas lived in the cave, although it remains unclear whether they coexisted there at the same time. While there is suspicion that the ancient human may have been preyed upon by hyenas, scientists are cautious about jumping to conclusions. The Homo rhodesiensis could have died from other causes, with its remains then scavenged by hyenas.
Homo rhodesiensis was a skilled hunter, capable of taking down large game. It's even possible they hunted hyenas. However, the hyenas were equally capable of preying on them. Whatever occurred 500,000 years ago, the discovery remains remarkable because human fossils consumed by predators are rarely found by researchers.
