Indricotherium (also known as Paraceratherium (with a medium sized neck) and Baluchitherium (with a short round neck) was a genus of perissodactyl mammal which lived during the Oligocene period.
Facts[]
An Indricotherium calf. (Land of Giants)
Whenever the females gave birth to newborns, they were faced with danger with predators, like Hyaenodon, trying to get to their babies, the mothers desperately tried to keep their babies between their legs so they could defend them with powerful kicks. When indricotheres were newborns, they could already weigh a quarter of a ton and their legs wouldn't be used to bearing any weight at all, so they'd spend most of their time learning how to walk. New born calves would also have food on their minds. It was the beginning of the most vulnerable period in their lives. They'd be totally dependent on their mothers for at least three years. They needed their protection, and for the first year, they relied on their mother's milk. This is an astonishingly long commitment for any mother, but if their calves can just survive for that long, their size will mean that there will not be a predator on Earth that can touch them. It was the largest terrestrial mammal that ever existed, rivaling some of dinosaurs, in size. Indricotheres were distantly related to modern rhinos, and their closest relatives were primitive perissodactyl mammals like Hyracotherium (mentioned in the book version of Land of Giants), but their size put them into a different league from other plant-eating mammals. A fully–grown male Indricotherium stood over seven to eight meters tall and weighed in at 20 tons, females - 15 tons (which is equivalent to eight modern rhinos) and newborn calves - around 250 kg. They were among the biggest animals of their time since the Mesozoic sauropod dinosaurs. They were also among the largest mammalian land animal of all time. Despite their appearance, they weren't related to giraffes but to rhinoceroses. In a sense, they were rhinos trying to be giraffes. When it came to mating, males often get into fights and their skulls were specially built to withstand these contests. But when the fights were over, calves were at serious risk–the biggest threat to an Indricotherium calf was an adult male. During mating, calves could be trampled to death. If Indricotherium calves survived to become three years old, their mothers would behave awkwardly towards them, but she would be doing only what she had to: she'd chase their previous calf away so that she had no problem to give their next (unborn) calf the best chance to survive in life; so the females would sever the three–year–old bond they've had with their previous calves. For those calves, it was time to make their own way in the world. This was the hardest lesson of all. The calf would never again have the protection of its mother. The rest of its life would be spent alone.
An indricothere family.
An Indricotherium. (Land of Giants)
Although no matter how young or old they were, indricotheres were so huge that they could go without food or water for days and it protected them from predators too. By the time Indricotheres were 4 years old, they could be big enough to defend and look after themselves. Indricotheres could also have easily lived into their eighties, and this longevity gave them a unique knowledge of their environment.
In the series[]
Walking with Beasts[]
Land of Giants[]
A female Indricotherium giving birth. (Land of Giants)
A mother Indricotherium was seen giving birth to a male calf during the middle of the night. However, a pair of Hyaenodon appeared from out of the darkness and attacked the mother. The mother kept the calf between her legs in order to protect him. The fight continued throughout the rest of the night. It is revealed that the calf and the mother did survive the attack. The calf began taking his very first steps and had his first drink. Later, the mother Indricotherium is seen drinking from a lake but is put off by a pair of Entelodonts dueling. Whilst his mother was gone, the calf was playing dead to avoid detection by predators. The calf was startled by something but it turned out that it was startled by its mother. Later, the mother and calf journeyed out of the canyon and into the open plains with other Indricotheriums. The mother and calf were traveling beside a river until the calf encountered a mother Bear-dog protecting her young. She frightened off the inquisitive youngster. Later, they found a pile of Indricotherium dung. Copying what his mother was doing, the calf smelled it. Moments later the mother's previous calf which was now 3 years old approached the pair but the mother repelled it in order to protect her current calf. Afterwards, the mother began feeding on the trees nearby. The calf was trying to imitate her but he was too short to reach even the lowest branch. He then resorted to his mother's milk.
Three Indricotherium looking for water. (Land of Giants)
3 months later, the calf was trying to drink his mother's milk however, the mother rejected him. During the night, the pair joined an older female in search of water and food. They eventually found a small, muddy lake. They then fell asleep. In the morning, the calf woke up his mother. The mother responded and rewarded him with milk. During the wet season the pair had to cross a river. The mother Indricotherium did it with ease but the calf found it a little bit harder. However, the hardest part in fact was getting up a muddy bank. After several failed attempts of climbing the bank, the calf succeeded. The next day, the calf was weened. He attempted to suckle but his mother rejected him, forcing him to eat plants.
Two years pass and mother and calf are still together. The narrator notes however that the mother is only a few days away from giving birth to her next calf. After scratching their backs on some trees, the pair settle down for the night. What the calf does not know is that this is the last time that this will happen and that the next day, his life will change forever.
Shortly after dawn, the calf and his mother are standing across from each other. For some reason, the mother is bellowing, pawing the ground and even charging at her son aggressively. Despite appearances however, she is not trying to attack her child or harm him in any way. With her pregnancy almost over, the mother knows from experience that she will soon have a new calf to look after. One that will be weak, helpless and totally dependent on her. She cannot afford to divide her time between two youngsters, especially when the older one might pose a danger to the new born's safety/survival. For this reason, she has no choice but to end her relationship with her three year old son. Although confused by what is happening, the young Indricotherium eventually takes the hint and leaves his mothers side. He walks off into the desert, where he will now have to put everything that his mother has taught him into practice.
A mother Indricotherium chases away her own calf. (Land of Giants)
The calf isn't seen for several days after being chased away. When he is spotted again, one of his back legs is damaged, causing him to walk with a heavy limp. Although the exact cause is not known, the narrator states that it was probably caused by a young adult male Indricotherium. Terrified, injured and alone, the youngster does the only thing he can think of and searches for his mother.
He soon finds her out on the plains and she is not alone. Seeing her, the calf calls out to his mother and younger sibling pleadingly, but once again, his mother rejects him. Head lowered, she marches towards him aggressively, placing herself between him and the new calf. Seeing this, the 3 year old beats a hasty retreat, finally understanding that his mother will not be there for him anymore. From now on, his fate lies in his own hands. He has also unwittingly shown his younger half-sibling what will happen to them in three years time.
Following this final encounter with his mother, the calf disappears for 3 months. He is then spotted again in his old territory, feeding on some tree branches, his leg no longer injured. Spotting an Entelodont browsing nearby, the calf chases it off, proving that he is no longer the helpless little youngster and that he can take care of himself. Breaking the fourth wall, the Indricotherium charges at the screen, knocking over the camera and possibly killing the cameraman (if he ever existed). Walking past, the young Indricotherium marches off into the plains, with the audience knowing that he will be just fine.
Trivia[]
- These animals were the inspiration for the AT-AT walkers in Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back.
- Indricotherium should now be known as Paraceratherium since the name Paraceratherium was the first name given to the animal.
- As of 2022, the only land mammal believed to have been taller than Paracertherium was the straight-tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon. It should be noted however, that the fossil remains of both of these creatures are incomplete and their exact size dimensions are not known.
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