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Can borophoginae canids be apex predators if they were successfully cloned?
Topic Started: Mar 6 2017, 02:49 PM (366 Views)
AiM4
Autotrophic Organism
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Imagine them introduced in the mid parts of Africa and Americas. Prey abundance is fine, but can they compete with other predators such as lions, wolves, etc.

I've read on wikipedia that borophogines lack the endurance of canines to hunt prey, hence their extinction happened.
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Wyvax
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Herbivore
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If they lived in Africa, I'd say they would be competing directly with spotted hyenas for the same niche. Of course you'd have to take into account that they're probably not built for that hot of a climate.
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Grazier
Omnivore
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The fact they evolved in the first place means they were quite capable of taking care of themself.
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AiM4
Autotrophic Organism
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Wouldn't that be a problem since ancient America used to be like Africa in terms of climate
?
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zergthe
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Kleptoparasite
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There's a reason why there were two distinct bone-crusher families; the hyenas and the borophagines. Canids evolved almost exclusively in North America, whereas hyenids evolved exclusively in the eastern continents, and only came into contact when the land bridge connected the two hemispheres. They competed directly, and a stalemate was reached; the borophagines couldn't successfully compete with the hyenids in their hearth, and the same scenario occurred vice-versa. Which is why only the dog-like forms made it to the other areas, as they were not in direct competition.
I think I'm right, but I'll check my book (Dogs and their fossil relatives or something).
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