Fascinating Pictures Of The Size Difference Between Prehistoric Animals And Their Modern Descendants
By Comparing The Incredible Sizes Of Prehistoric Animals And Their Modern Relatives, Roman Ochitel Encourages People To Protect Large Animals.
Growing up near a zoo, Roman Uchitel has always been interested in animals. After graduating from art school, he eventually combined his professional training with his interest in creating prehistoric artifacts. Uchitel and his wife, Alexandra, launched a great website that showcases fun prehistoric animals alongside their modern descendants.
Uchitel and her husband initially created a size comparison series so their children would know what the offspring of the animals they saw at the zoo looked like. Over time, this hobby became a profession, and the couple published books, calendars, educational posters, and postcards featuring these extinct animals.
To create digital images, Uchitel takes a lot of time and care to get everything right. He says:
When reconstructing ancient animals, the easiest way is to rely on skeletons. Knowing the anatomy allows you to rebuild an animal with reasonably good accuracy. Having offspring is also a big help. The paint pattern is the hardest part, although you can rely on the habitat here. We work with many scientists and museums worldwide who kindly provide us with skeletons or related information.
Delightful for children and adults, these images are reminiscent of the incredible animals roaming the earth. Most of us are familiar with the large size of dinosaurs, but did you know that giant ground sloths the size of elephants once lived in South America?
By visualizing the comparison, Uchitel offers a new perspective on these facts and figures. In the process, he has sparked curiosity about prehistoric life. He hopes Prehistoric Beasts will spark more conversation and encourage people to conserve the fantastic beasts that still exist.
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