How Did The Brachiosaurus Become Extinct
There is no specific reason as to why the brachiosaurus became extinct. They are believed to have existed in the mid-Jurassic period between 156 and 145 million years ago. This means they became extinct long before other dinosaurs which are acknowledged to have lived till as recently as 65 million years ago. |
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Because of their size the brachiosaurus was not known to have any predators. The largest carnivorous predators of the time were less than half the size of the brachiosaurus so would have chosen something smaller for their prey. So, how did the Brachiosaurus become extinct?
But the brachiosaurus was believed to have suffered problems of the vascular system and from blood pressure. The blood had to be pumped to an enormous height -- when the neck was extended straight, the brain would have been at a height of 50 feet. Furthermore, the blood had to circulate round a distance of upto 100 feet from nose to tail. This would have needed a powerful heart and imposed a great strain on it. A blood pressure of around 400 mg of mercury would have been needed for the purpose which would have been more than three times that of a healthy man. One might conclude then that cardiac and vascular problems might have been a mortality factor though these would hardly have accounted for extinction. There is a possibility that lack of food at the appropriate height suitable to a brachiosaurus could have b been a factor. Or perhaps they just could not survive the changing environment.
Various theories could be propounded but the truth will never be known. The truth is as extinct as the animal itself.
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