Deinotherium

Deinotherium (from Ancient Greek δεινός, (deinós), meaning "terrible", and θηρίον (therión), meaning "beast"), is an extinct genus of large, elephant-like proboscideans that lived from the middle-Miocene until the end of the Early Pleistocene. Although its appearance is reminiscent of modern elephants, Deinotherium possessed a notably more flexible neck, and proportionally more slender limbs, as well as tusks which grew down and curved back from the lower jaw (mandible), and lacked tusks growing from the upper jaw. Several species of Deinotherium grew larger than modern elephants, not uncommonly reaching shoulder heights of 4 metres (13 ft) and body masses of over 10 tonnes (22,000 lb), making them among the largest land mammals ever. Deinotherium was a widespread genus, during the Miocene they ranged across East Africa, and Eurasia from Western Europe to the Indian subcontinent. They were browsing animals, with a diet largely consisting of leaves. The genus most likely went extinct due to environmental changes, such as forested areas gradually being replaced by open grasslands, during the latter half of the Neogene. Deinotherium thrived the longest in Africa, where they survived until the end of the Early Pleistocene, around 1 million years ago.