Giant dwarf crocodiles - that sounds like an invention by Loriot.
But that's what Senckenberg researchers actually named two species of crocodiles that lived in East Africa 15 to 18 million years ago.
Fossils of this species (pictured) have been discovered at various sites in Kenya.
Sasha Zoske
Sheet maker in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
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These reptiles were related to the dwarf crocodile or dwarf crocodile, which can still be found in Africa today.
It will be a maximum of 1.50 meters long.
The giant dwarf crocodiles, on the other hand, grew up to four meters and were probably the largest predators in their biotope.
They probably didn't spend most of their time in the water, but in the forest, where they raised their young and lurked for prey.
According to paleontologists, they may also have posed a threat to the ancestors of humans.
Homo sapiens himself probably didn't have anything to do with them anymore.
The giant dwarfs probably became extinct 15 million years ago as a result of climate change.
More on the study at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25005