Kees van Hooijdonk with a jaw of the dagger-toothed cat Megantereon from Senez in France, which is kept at the Natural History Museum Basel
interview with Kees van Hooijdonk from Rucphen, a Dutch expert on fossil mammals from the ice age, about saber-toothed cats and dagger-toothed cats
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Question: Mr. van Hooijdonk, search, collect and explore very successful remains of fossil mammals from the ice age (around 2.6 million to 11.700 years). How, when and where you are enthusiastic about this interesting hobby?
Answer: My interest in fossils has already occurred in my youth, and while on a walk in the woods near La Roche in the Belgian Ardennes. It was I found a rock in the forest, hundreds of feet above the Ourthe, fossil snails. I was so fascinated by this unexpected discovery that I began to read books about fossils. From that moment on, I started to collect fossils. I also became a member of the Dutch Geological Society. First, I collected all kinds of fossils, but some years later I am more and more fossils of mammals from the ice age (Pleistocene) specializes mainly on cats (Felidae).
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superb band of saber-toothed cats, worked on the Kees van Hooijdonk has
Question: Along with Dick Mol, Wilrie van Logchem and Remie Bakker, you have the superb volumes "De Sabeltandtijger uit de Noordzee" (2007) in Dutch language and "The Saber-toothed Cat of the North Sea" (2008) in English published, which are, in my opinion the best books about saber-toothed cats and dagger toothed cats. What inspires you in these big cats?
Answer: I think that many people are impressed by the power and elegance of the Felidae. Even the hunt of a domestic cat in the backyard offers a fascinating spectacle. My interest in the saber-toothed cat Homotherium has arisen I've found about 10 years, some fossils from this cat. It is mainly the specific anatomy that interests me. But the rarity and exclusivity of the Homotherium fossils have played an important role. From that time I have been dealing intensively with this animal species, taken a number of interesting tours and contacts are maintained.
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Question: For several years, speaks not only of saber-toothed cats, but also of dagger toothed cats. Can you explain the difference between these cats short?
Answer: In the English language, there are two forms of saber-toothed cats, namely Scimitar Cat (scimitar tooth) and Dirktoothed Cat (dagger teeth), depending on the specific properties of the upper canines. Saber-toothed cats of the tribe Homotheriini among the Scimitar Cats, because the same upper canines a curved sword (Scimitar). These canines are strongly curved, very broad and flattened, with fine teeth Lung on the cut surfaces. Sabel tooth cats of the tribe are among the Smilodontini Dirktoothed Cats.
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Question: In the literature it is said, some saber-toothed cats and dagger-toothed cats were as big as a lion or even today like a Siberian tiger was present term, which is the largest cat in the present. Who was the largest saber-toothed cat and who the biggest dagger toothed cat?
Answer: This answer is not so simple. This is because fossils of saber-toothed cats always occur very rarely. Complete skeletons are much rarer. A lot of information about size and weight of the saber-toothed cats are so only through interpretations to get. A large saber-toothed cat is often compared to the size of a lion, while the next smallest species is compared with the Panthers.
But this comparison is not entirely accidental, for many faunas (or habitats) have a similar composition: the current lion and leopard live in the Serengeti, the current Tiger and Leopard in East Asia, the extinct genera Homotherium and Megantereon (eg Senez) in France), the fossil genera Smilodon and Homotherium in America.
But if you should call it a genre, it should perhaps be the South American dagger-toothed cat (Dirktoothed Cat) Smilodon Populator , who was with a shoulder height of 120 centimeters or greater than their North American relatives Smilodon fatalis , from the very many fossils were found in the Teerlöchern ("tar pits") of the reference Rancho La Brea in the middle of the Californian city Los Angeles.
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question: who in cinema and television films, saber-toothed cats and giant dagger toothed cats fearsome canines (fangs). Which saber-toothed cat or dagger-toothed cat had the largest canine teeth?
Answer: The dagger-toothed cat Smilodon Populator had the longest canine teeth: that as much as 30 centimeters.
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Question: In books, magazines and the Internet can be found on saber-toothed cats and dagger-toothed cats very different information about their lifestyle. If these big cats have been in your opinion, lazy or efficient scavenger hunter?
Answer: I believe that the saber-toothed cats were nimble fighters, such as this cat. You can see that most of teeth. But the hunting of prey animals requires a lot of energy and I am of the opinion that the saber-toothed cat tried to take off other predators, the prey when the opportunity arose. Even today one sees among some predators. In times of scarcity could also saber-toothed cats have eaten carrion. Rancho La Brea (USA) we see that saber-toothed cats have come to tar pits in order to reach easily prey animals were trapped in the tar. This shows that saber-toothed cats have been trying to get work with minimal loot.
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Question: saber-toothed cats and dagger toothed cats both described as a loner and as pack animals. What do you think?
Answer: It is often said that saber-toothed cats hunted in groups, but that there are no clear evidence. In the Friesenhahn Cave near San Antonio, Texas (USA) are fossils of saber-toothed cats of several species Homotherium been found. But these are either old or very young animals. Perhaps there was a kind of "nest" and it is normal that the boys spend the first months with their parents. Rancho La Brea in turn, many fossils of the dagger-toothed cat Smilodon have been discovered. Many of these fossils bear evidence of a disease or even lameness; which shows that it is unlikely that these animals have even hunted active. That diseases or injuries have healed, shows that sick or injured cats dagger teeth supported by their group or that they were tolerated during feeding of the spoils. But you have to be careful with such conclusions: At today's cats, there are exceptions: most cats live as a loner, but lions are real pack animals.
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question: In a very interesting article for the prestigious Dutch magazine "Cranium" They dealt with the saber-toothed cat Homotherium and the dagger-toothed cat Megantereon from Senez in the French department of Haute Loire. Can you describe these two big cats short?
Answer: With a shoulder height of about 95 centimeters Homotherium was the greater of the two big cats. If one of these two skeletons animals comparing, then you can see immediately that Homotherium was a tall, slender cat, its front legs were longer than the hind legs, which gave a Homotherium Ausehen like a hyena. Homotherium could even kill a young mammoth.
Megantereon other hand, was a large, robust cat with a shoulder height of 70 centimeters, similar to a present- Jaguar. With its extremely strong front legs, he was able to large prey, such as throwing a horse or a deer on the ground and kill.
Even the bit of both cats differs widely. The canines of Homotherium are highly curved, wide and very flat, with fine teeth Lung-sectional areas. The rest of the dentition had a very strong teeth and that of Lung-sectional areas of the incisors and molars. The teeth of
Megantereon was less strong, and the upper canines were narrower and without teeth Lung.
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question: Their publications show that you also sites and museums visit abroad. To check out what you remember most?
Answer: I had the opportunity to make, check out at the University Claude Bernard in Lyon (France), where the skeleton is Homotherium kept by Senez and the Natural History Museum in Lyon, where a large collection of carnivore fossils is. I have also visited the Natural History Museum in Basel, where it shows the skeleton of a Megantereon . In 2006 I visited the excavation at Senez, where the skeletons had been discovered two saber-tooth cats. There I visited the family Phillis, whose father Pierre had found two saber-toothed cats, and many interesting photos seen. All visits were special experiences.
in Germany, too, I have visited museums - and admired in Darmstadt and Wiesbaden and the world-famous fossil site Grube Messel near Darmstadt. With pleasure I remember Thomas Keller and Anne Sander of the Department of Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in Schloss Biebrich in Wiesbaden, for their very pleasant and friendly support on an excursion of our association.
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question again and again excite finds eiszeitalterlicher mammals that are brought in from fishing trawlers and clam boats from the North Sea due to light, sensation. If you are in the hunt for such fossil treasures from the former "North Country" involved?
Answer: Yes and no. It is important to have contacts with fishermen and see what they have brought in fossils. Therefore, I am sometimes on board fishing vessels. Often, only with a camera. And sometimes I get a beautiful fossil. Later I try to replace the fossil of a cave lion Fossil or the like. But it's not that I - like others - buy fossils to trade with them.
* Question: Do you have a large collection of fossils, and - if so - how discoveries are you most proud?
Answer: I have in recent years, a beautiful Collection of fossils from different sites collected. The most beautiful pieces of my collection are fossils from the Pliocene (about 5.3 to 2 million years) and Pleistocene (about 2.6 to 11.7 thousand years) from the North Sea. Including fossils of deer, wild horses, animals snout (Mammuthus meridionalis , Mastodont) are the saber tooth cat Homotherium and the European jaguar Panthera onca gombaszoegensis .
all my fossils are special, but the Homotherium fossils are still a specialty, because these were the reason for many of my travels and numerous contacts throughout the world.
But I consider this collection as a loan. Later, I would like to leave everything to a museum.
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Kees van Hooijdonk at the site Chilhac in France, where they were fossils discovered by saber-toothed cats
Question: In many states of Germany in the course of time the search and recovery has been banned from fossils. Is this hobby in the Netherlands still allowed?
Answer: Yes, this hobby in the Netherlands is still allowed, but regulated. This means that you can get fossils by fishermen or on the beach may look. But you can not go into a pit and move back to the trench. Also in squares, the protected , are not you allowed to dig. This is, of course. It is in the Netherlands so that archaeological finds must be reported.
* Question: What do you think that is illegal in some countries, the search and recovery of fossils of individuals strictly?
Answer: It depends on what is the reason: If it is due to the nature protection or on the basis of security, then such a ban is understandable. But a total ban is not necessary then.
Sometimes we hear that some scientists make a claim for claims found fossils. They preserve the fossils in museums and laboratories for research. Research is good, but the collection of fossils by adults and children also brings with it interest in nature, and that is just as important, especially for the children because they are the future. But collecting should not lead to rape or be used for commerce. This should be done for good reasons, and this applies to scientists and individuals.
* Question: Do you have the support of relatives and friends while you search and exploration of fossils?
Answer: Yes, as I said before, I got in all the museums and universities getting good support. And of course I get a lot of support in our association of the Pleistocene Mammals. In particular, Dick Mol (you have also interviewed) and Klaas post I mention these because both have a very stimulating effect on me. And finally, I call my family because it has given me the opportunity to pursue my hobby.
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website about saber-toothed cats by Kees van Hooijdonk
question: surely want many readers of this interview like to know more about you. Do you run a website where you can read something about you and your work?
Answer: I have a website on the Ice Age and Ice Age animals: http://www.ijstijd.net - There is also a website about saber-toothed cats at the address http://www.ijstijd.net/sabeltandkatten/index.html
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question: If you could meet some needs a fairy godmother, what would you want from her?
Answer: I do not make such a good fairies. But I do have one wish: to all collectors and researchers of all fossil finds, and I wish you many wonderful educational and relaxing hours in the field! We all have a very nice hobby.
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The questions for the interview, the Wiesbaden-based science writer Ernst Probst, operator of the Weblogs http://wissenschafts-news.blog.de and author of the pocket books "records of ancient times", "The Ur-Rhine. Rheinhessen ten million years "and" cave lions. Wild cats in Ice Age "
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Pictures about:
book" De Sabeltandtijger uit de Noordzee "(Dutch)
http://www.sabeltandtijger.eu/?lang=nl
book" The Saber toothed Cat of the North Sea "(English)
http://www.sabeltandtijger.eu/?lang=en
publication by Kees van Hoojdonk: De Sabeltandkatten Homotherium en Megantereon (Felidae, Carnivora)
van de Plio- Pleis to cene van Senez site (Haute Loire, Fr)
http://www.ijstijd.net/cranium.pdf
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