New Research Sheds Light on Social Practices of Saber-Toothed Cats
By: John Tuttle
Tags: Science, Paleontology, News, Culture, Natural History

The image of saber-toothed cats has permeated our culture and, though perhaps not as recognizable as certain dinosaurs like T. rex, deserves its acclaim. The skeletons of these predators could not be more scientifically intriguing or more daunting than they already are.

The epitome of saber-toothed feline evolution is Smilodon. It is best known from the remains of numerous fossils acquired from the Rancho La Brea tar pits of Los Angeles, CA. Due to the plethora of bones excavated from this location, Smilodon has been made state fossil of California.

In a prehistoric age, the unforgiving pits wreaked havoc upon both predator and prey. These natural pools of petroleum amassed water on their surface as a result of rainfall. Fauna would initially be attracted to the water. But oftentimes, when they came to satisfy their thirst, they became stuck in the tar hiding below. Evidently, predators may have come either to drink or to feed on the animals already ensnared. The tar pits were death traps just waiting for something to fall in and slowly get swallowed up. This was certainly not beneficial to a living specimen of Smilodon, but the circumstances of death have become invaluable to science. Many skeletons are remarkably well-preserved.

One Smilodon species, S. fatalis, has been found throughout parts of North and South America. However, it is the vast trove of remains in the La Brea tar pits which provide scientists with most of their understanding of the species. The bones of the saber-toothed cats combined with those of dire wolves comprise around 90% of the fossil record collected from La Brea.

The immense majority in the presence of these two types of predators has led some of the researchers examining them to conclude that the animals likely lived and interacted in a pack/pride society. After all, modern wolves and African lions do the same. On the other hand, some would argue that the sheer number of specimens piled on top of one another might suggest a lack of pack formations since, they assume, a pack would be smart enough to not let its members make the same mistake repeatedly.

Yet, even in this scenario, the scientist in favor of the Smilodon pack hypothesis could propose that the remains of the carnivores came to be in such a posture due to the properties of the tar. This is another possibility which should be taken into account as the regular churning about of the bubbling tar pits has caused a good deal of confusion in the dating of fossils.

Those in favor of the Smilodon pride hypothesis point to recent new being done in determining the health that some of the saber-tooth specimens were in when they died. This research has shown that some of the unfortunate specimens of S. fatalis had previously dealt with injuries including a crippled pelvis and the more frequent ailments associated with jaws and teeth.

What is more is the fact that, in many examples of the fossil record, these pains show signs of healing over time. In some instances, these injured cats would not have been able to hunt for themselves, suggesting they were permitted to take part in feeding while other members of the pride were responsible for the kill. In addition to this caregiving concept, studies regarding juvenile growth lend themselves toward a strongly-knit social environment.

Paleontologist Blaire Van Valkenburgh, whose specialty lies in prehistoric carnivores, has proposed a lengthy period of growth for saber-tooth cubs. This is especially believed to be the case in regards to dental development. It took perhaps 22 months for the cubs to acquire their adult teeth.

Besides that, the distinguishing upper canines from which the saber-tooths got their title might have needed 3+ years to reach their full length. The social structure of a pride would be crucial during such an important biological development. That said, like most debates in paleontology, this is one which remains open to debate within the scientific community.

About the Author: John Tuttle is a Catholic man with a passion for beauty and truth. He is a journalist whose work appears across a number of digital publications. He recently began writing for Prehistoric Times magazine. His first article, which was all about prehistoric cats, appeared in Issue 128, the Winter 2018 edition over which the publication celebrated its 25th anniversary.