Ice Age Mammal. Arctodus simus also called Short Faced Bear. Artist Josef Moravec. Printed on premium photo quality super "B" paper 17" x 22".

Arctodus, is also known as the Short-Faced Bear. One species, the Giant Short-Faced Bear (Arctodus simus), is the largest bear that ever lived based on fossil finds. It lived in prehistoric North America from about 800,000 to 12,500 years ago.

Arctodus, is also known as the Short-Faced Bear. One species, the Giant Short-Faced Bear (Arctodus simus), is the largest bear that ever lived based on fossil finds. It lived in prehistoric North America from about 800,000 to 12,500 years ago.

Arctodus simus stood as high as 6 feet (1.8 m) at the shoulder on all four legs. When standing, the animal was over 11 feet (3.3 m). From the fossils found, the Giant short-faced bear was estimated to weigh up to 2,000 pounds (900 kg). Its contemporary was the Grizzly bear, yet it was twice its size. In build it was leaner than the Brown Bear. At one time it was the largest living terrestrial predatory mammal.
The long legs enabled this bear to cover a large territory as fast as 50 km/h (30 mph), according to Dr. Matheus. Matheus however states that Arctodus could not have chased down prey as the bear's front leg bones could not hold up to the substantial weight of the animal if it made a quick turn.

Arctodus had a very short, broad muzzle which gives rise to its name. The skull had an olfactory area twice as large as that of a Grizzly bear giving it the ability to identify a carcass from as far away as 6 miles (10 km). The jaw bone fulcrum point was further back in the head and allowed Arctodus to easily break and eat bones and marrow.
Arctodus simus, the largest species, ranged the high grasslands of western North America from Alaska to Mexico, while a lighter-built species (Arctodus pristinus) with smaller teeth inhabited the more heavily wooded Atlantic coastal region. A skull was found by a Yukon gold miner. Another fossil from southern Saskatchewan indicates that Arctodus lived there more than 70,000 years ago.