The Dire Wolf was a powerful creature, but now he is extinct. The Dire Wolf lived during the last Ice Age and it ranged all throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Dire Wolf became extinct over 10,000 years ago. Over 3,600 Dire Wolves have been recovered from Rancho La Brea. That's more than any other species of mammal that has been recovered from Rancho La Brea. The large number of Dire Wolves found at Rancho La Brea implies that, like the Saber-Toothed Cat, they may have hunted in packs. Since they hunted in packs, more than just one wolf got caught in the tar pits.
The Dire Wolf was a close relative to the Timber Wolf, which has also been recovered from Rancho La Brea. The only difference between the Dire Wolf and the Timber Wolf is the size of their teeth and the Dire Wolf is a little bit smaller than the Timber Wolf. The Dire Wolf had slightly larger teeth than the Timber Wolf. These dental differences suggest that the Dire Wolf could crush bones more efficiently. Modern Timber Wolves are often kicked or stepped on while chasing and capturing such large animals such as moose. The fossils of Dire Wolves sometimes show similar types of injuries. These Dire Wolves may have been injured while hunting either some extinct horses or bison. Another name for the Dire Wolf is Canis Dirus.
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