COSMOS MAGAZINE
Fossilised teeth of Teleoceras major, a massive hippo-like rhino from 12 million years ago, show that these animals lived in herds and remained close to water sources, much like modern hippos.
Teleoceras major (fossil barrel-bodied rhino). Credit: Wiki Commons
Research at Nebraska’s Ashfall Fossil Beds, where over 100 rhinos perished in volcanic ash, used stable isotopes from their teeth to uncover their foraging habits and environmental conditions.
Credit: John Haxby/The University of Nebraska State Museum
Isotopic analysis revealed no signs of seasonal migration or behavior change before their deaths, indicating they were largely stationary and closely tied to local waterholes.
Teleoceras major. Credit: Wiki Commons
Similar methods applied to Australia's extinct Diprotodon showed greater mobility, highlighting differences in ancient herbivore ecology across continents.
Diprotodon on the edge of a eucalyptus forest with some early kangaroos. Credit: Arthur Dorety / Stocktrek Images / Getty.