Description

Although commonly known as the saber-toothed tiger, it was not closely related to the tiger or other modern cats.
In North America, Smilodon hunted large herbivores such as bison and camels and it remained successful even when encountering new prey species in South America.
Smilodon is thought to have killed its prey by holding it still with its forelimbs and biting it, but it is unclear in what manner the bite itself was delivered.
Scientists debate whether Smilodon had a social or a solitary lifestyle; analysis of modern predator behavior as well as of Smilodon’s fossil remains could be construed to lend support to either view.
Smilodon probably lived in closed habitats such as forests and bush, which would have provided cover for ambushing prey.

Middle Pleistocene
Unnamed cave in Yumare area, South Yaracal, Falcon State, Venezuela
26mm x 23mm x 13mm premolar in matrix. Extremely rare. First Smilodon populator material we have had in over a decade.
Mammal, Felidae