As scientists speculate, the animal in question was a gentle giant.
The blue whale, a colossal marine mammal that can reach 33.5 meters and weigh over 150,000 kilograms, is the largest animal on Earth. However, in terms of land-dwelling animals, much larger animals have roamed compared to what we know today.
The largest animal to ever walk on land is Patagotitan Mayorum, which measured 37 meters long, according to IFL Science. It is estimated to have weighed 70 tonnes – the equivalent of 10 African elephants, the largest land animal in modern times. Although longer than a blue whale, the dinosaur in question was significantly lighter and not mind-blowingly bulky.
This prehistoric animal was a sauropod, a subgroup of dinosaurs known for their long necks and equally long tails, as well as their four trunk-like legs. As its name suggests, Patagotitan Mayorum lived in the Patagonia region, located in what is now southern Argentina. Not coincidentally, this site was also home to Argentinosaurus, which was previously thought to be the largest dinosaur before Patagotitan Mayorum was found.
Patagotitan Mayorum vs. Argentinosaurus
Some argue that Argentinosaurus is larger than Patagotitan Mayorum and therefore should indeed be considered the largest land animal ever. The truth is that estimates of size are, by their very nature, estimates. Complete specimens have never been discovered and their size is based on incomplete remains, leaving some margin for error.
Six fossils of this massive species were discovered in Patagonia and used for the first description of the species in 2017, much to the surprise of scientists and the public. The sediments around the remains suggest they lived about 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. Based on their shape and stature, according to phys.org, it’s reasonable to assume that Patagotitan Mayorum was a herbivore that used its long, narrow neck to reach tall trees. Its massive weight also suggests that the dinosaur in question was not a ferocious beast, but a gentle giant.
“I don’t think they were scary at all, they were probably bulky big animals that moved slowly,” Diego Pol, a paleontologist from the Egidio Feruglio Museum of Paleontology in Argentina who described the species, said of the discovery. Still, he added: “They got up. They were walking. They tried to run. It’s really a challenge for big animals.”
This size, however, also has its advantages: It is difficult to imagine that any predator could deal with such a fully developed sauropod. In fact, protection from predators is probably one of the main features that allowed Patagotitan Mayorum to reach this size.
However, Patagotitan Mayorum is not the undisputed champion, as there is always the possibility that a larger species will be discovered. Excavations in South America are still at an early stage compared to the northern hemisphere, where dinosaurs have been extensively studied since the 19th century. Considering the number of titanosaurs that have been recovered from rocky Patagonia, the possibility that a larger species may one day be found cannot be ruled out.
