But how did one man and a spear produce the huge force behind this blow? The answer lies with small bits of ivory like this. They were once part of an atlatl, or spear thrower. An atlatl acts as a sort of catapult, magnifying the strength of a hunter...
But most significant of all, the jaguar has a tell-tale trademark. Instead of going for the neck or snout like most cats do, it kills with a crushing bite through the skull into the brain. This makes the jaguar prime suspect in this case. Even the gl...
These holes are the unmistakable hallmark of a violent death. Their shape suggest they were made by the teeth of a big cat, but which one? Today theres only one large cat in the region, the Florida panther. Though similar to the cougar at the western...
But the glyptodont wasn't a reptile. So what was it? There is a relative of the glyptodont thats still alive today. It's the armadillo and it's a mammal, the only mammal with this kind of armor in the whole of North America. It may give us some idea...
At first sight, manatees might look like seals or dolphins. But in fact, some of their closest relatives live on land. These toenails are the giveaway, remarkably similar to those of elephants. 13,000 years ago, two other members of the elephant fami...
This creates steam in oasis and a profusion of life. Today, these warm springs are a refuge for one of Florida's most tropical inhabitants. The West Indian Manatee wasn't present during the last ice age, but returned here as the waters warmed up. Eve...
By piecing together the evidence these creatures left behind, we can build a picture of this sub-tropical corner of the continent as it was 13,000 years ago. While most of North America was still in the grip of the Big Freeze, Florida was an ice age...
This is Florida, a taste of the tropical, one of the world's most popular holiday destinations. Here mankind's unquenchable desire to explore and colonise reaches astronomical proportions. Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Ignition. Lif...
This trail leads to the cave and the freshly dead bison, just out of reach. Hunger makes the bear risk everything. He falls and joins the bison in its tomb. Now he can eat his fill. but after that there's no way out. ln time he'll be just one more ic...
But their success hasn't gone unnoticed. From many miles away, the short-faced bear can smell blood on the breeze. He sniffs his way towards the source. Meanwhile, satisfied and sleepy, the pride settles down for a snooze. More than twice the weight...
The scene is set for a daily ice age drama. Only the very largest are safe now. Patience is the key, the lionesses close in, waiting for their opportunity. The first charge causes chaos, but this is just what the lions want. ln the melee, they've alr...
And all this meat in one small area attract the scavenger, the short-faced bear. Led by his super sensitive nose, his long limbs carry him many miles a day in search of carrion. He's picked up a scent, but where's the carcass? Sometimes the smaller,...
So let's go back in time, back 13,000 years to relive one day in the life of North America's great ice age plains. It's early morning at the end of a long, hot summer. Even major rivers are beginning to run low. Colombian mammoth herd follows the riv...
Larger than any lion alive today, this would have been an awesome predator. These caves were probably its winter den. With such abundant game down on the plains, this hunter's life must have been pretty good. Sheer size and power and the benefit of l...
13,000 years ago, the ice age cheetah was the pronghorn's greatest enemy. And pronghorn would have needed all their amazing speed. The American cheetah was larger than its African cousin. But it had the same Achilles' heel. A cheetah's high-performan...
