The great titan in the air of history
Once, they controlled the commanding heights of the airspace, once they were the giants of the air, they were new Zealand piranhas, kamikaze pterosaurs, birds as big as airplanes, historically large insects that could eat amphibians, and ancient geese with a wingspan of 5 meters.
One, the New Zealand piranha
More than 500 years ago, there were no land mammals on the island of New Zealand, only a few very small bats, and the huge Haast eagle was the ruler of the region.
The Haast eagle is relatively close in appearance to the modern eagle, with a wingspan of 3 meters and a weight of 18 kilograms, making it the largest eagle to date. The Haast hawk is said to be a fearsome predator that swoops down on flightless birds and even catches children living in alpine areas. Usually they inhabit trees, and when potential prey comes into view, they fly towards their prey at a speed of 80 km/h, grabbing the prey deeply with their sharp claws.
Second, kamikaze pterosaurs preyed on small Tyrannosaurus rexes
Kamikaze pterosaurs had a wingspan of up to 10 meters and lived at the end of the Cretaceous Period between 650 million and 100 million years ago. They were once the largest animals in the air, similar in height to giraffes. In flight, this super-animal can use all its limbs, and its hind legs are contracted and folded wingspans are extended when flying. Kamikaze pterosaurs were standing predators, much like modern storks, feeding primarily on small Tyrannosaurus rexes.
Three, birds as big as airplanes
This giant bird has a wingspan of up to 7 meters and is closely related to modern vultures and storks. It is very close in size to the Cessna aircraft and is one of the largest birds ever found. Scientists have long wondered how they took off. Because of their large size and their heavy bodies, it is difficult to continuously flap their wings to achieve take-off, so scientists speculate that their flight principle is close to that of gliders. They glide based on wind currents and can fly at speeds of up to 67 km / h.
The researchers believe they need a 10-degree slope and a powerful running platform. Its legs can burst at a speed of up to 30 km / h in an instant, meeting the needs of take-off. Regarding landing, it may be like an albatross that uses tumbling as a buffer when it lands.
Fourth, the largest insect in history - can eat amphibians
This ancient oversized insect, which has a wingspan of up to 70 centimeters and weighs about the size of a crow, lived in the present-day United States in the early Permian period 300 million years ago, and is the ancestor of dragonflies.
300 million years ago, The Earth was a warm, leafy environment with 35% oxygen in the air, and it is likely that this living condition led to the birth of oversized insects.
Five, ancient giant geese
With a wingspan of more than 5 meters, this ancient giant goose lived in present-day England during the Low Eliocene epoch 0.5 billion years ago, and is closely related to modern ducks and geese.
The ancient giant goose, whose lifestyle resembled that of an albatross, once skimmed the waters of southern England in search of fish and octopus. They preyed on a much wider range than any bird today, and their aggressiveness was due to its beak. It has pseudo-teeth made of keratin, similar to the composition of modern birds' beaks, human fingernails and hair, which helps them better prey on prey.