A Strange and Mysterious Hypercarnivore Discovered | The Institute for Creation Research

A Strange and Mysterious Hypercarnivore Discovered
In 1988 a fossil jaw was discovered by paleontologists in San Diego County, California. Decades later the scientists determined it belonged to a relatively unknown carnivore species of the machaeroidines (saber-toothed, placental mammals). The creature was named Diegoaelurus vanvalkenburghae and was about the size of a bobcat with teeth like slicing blades. So far, only 14 specimens belonging to the machaeroidines have been found.1

Evolutionists maintain this strange creature roamed what is now southern California “42 million years ago” during the Eocene epoch.2 However, creation scientists see this carnivore as having been buried during the later stages of the Flood in the Santiago Formation which is composed of siltstone, mudstone and sandstone—all sedimentary rocks laid down by water. Indeed, evolutionists state, “The exact timing and reason for this extinction also remain mysterious.”2 But this is not a mystery if one subscribes to the Genesis Flood model.
Teeth of Indian Flying Fox  
Image credit: Copyright © Pavel Zuber. Used in accordance with federal copyright (fair use doctrine) law. Usage by ICR does not imply endorsement of copyright holder.

God originally created all animals as vegetarians, including cats such as the saber-toothed D. vanvalkenburghae. Today, many sharp-toothed bears are vegetarian and they use their formidable dentition to tear into tough vegetable material. This is also true with the fruit bat (or megabat, including the flying fox) of Oceania and Africa. Animals needed and need specially designed teeth to break down cones, leaves, bark, twigs, shoots, buds, and seed pods.

D. vanvalkenburghae, the mysterious saber-toothed carnivore, is a member of the cat kind created by God and the Word, Jesus Christ, just thousands of years ago–in the beginning...

References
1. Zach, S. et al. 2022. Diegoaelurus, a new machaeroidine (Oxyaenidae) from the Santiago Formation (late Uintan) of Southern California. Peerj
2. Lanese, N. 2022. Mysterious 'hypercarnivore' with blade-like teeth roamed California 42 million years ago. LiveScience. Posted on livescience.com 15 March 2022, accessed on 24 March 2022. 

Stage Image: Artist's rendition of newly discovered hypercarnivore
Stage Image Credit: Copyright © San Diego Natural History Museum. Used in accordance with federal copyright (fair use doctrine) law. Usage by ICR does not imply endorsement of copyright holder.

*Dr. Sherwin is Research Scientist at the Institute for Creation Research. He earned an M.A. in zoology from the University of Northern Colorado and received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Pensacola Christian College.
The Latest
NEWS
The Origin of Eukaryotes
Eukaryotes are multicellular organisms that contain diverse differentiated cell types. Within almost every cell there are subcellular compartments called...

CREATION PODCAST
Water vs. Wind: The Controversial Coconino | The Creation Podcast:...
Welcome to the sixth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old...

NEWS
Fossil Fish Finally Filmed
The bizarre lobe-finned coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) “that flourished some 350 million years ago”1 continues to be a thorn...

NEWS
The Mosasaur: A Giant Sea Dragon
Mosasaurs (order Squamata) were massive marine lizards that were common in the pre-Flood oceans. Therefore, it is not surprising that their fossils...

DAYS OF PRAISE DEVOTIONALS
Summer 2025
...

NEWS
Was Life Detected on a Distant Planet?
There was celebration, albeit briefly, for the discovery of potential life on a planet called K2-18b, which is 124 lightyears away from Earth. The...

NEWS
Ichthyosaur Graveyard Explained by the Flood
Ichthyosaurs are marine reptiles that occur globally in the same rock layers as dinosaurs. Specimens with babies support the idea that they gave live...

CREATION PODCAST
What Do We Do With Geology's Unconforming Features? | The Creation...
Welcome to the fifth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old...

NEWS
Freshwater Fish Fossil in Australia
Yet another fish fossil has been discovered. This one was found in the Australian desert and was dated by evolutionists to be “15 million years...

NEWS
May 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans...