American Museum of Natural History

Extreme Mammals: The Biggest, Smallest, and Most Amazing Mammals of All Time

May 23, 2009 - January 3, 2010

© AMNH/R. Mickens

"Most of us think we are familiar with mammals, a group that includes many well-known species, including dogs, bears, whales and, of course, humans," said Ellen V. Futter, President of the American Museum of Natural History. "Yet I suspect that people may not be aware that this class of animals also includes some of the strangest and most remarkable creatures ever to have lived on Earth. Built upon the Museum's longstanding research program to explore and deepen our knowledge of the natural world, this intriguing new exhibition will dramatically showcase some of the most extraordinary and extreme examples of mammalian life, past and present. Extreme Mammals will surprise and captivate visitors of all ages while also vividly illuminating the spectacular diversity of life."

Extreme Mammals explores the surprising and sometimes bizarre world of extinct and living mammals. Featuring spectacular fossils from the Museum's collections, the exhibition will examine the ancestry and evolution of numerous species, ranging from huge to tiny and speedy to sloth-like, and will showcase animals with oversized claws, fangs, snouts, and horns. Extreme Mammals will also explore how some lineages died out while others diversified to form the groups of well-known mammals living today.

Planned highlights of the exhibition include specimens—from the egg-laying platypus to the recently extinct Tasmanian wolf—and fleshed-out models of spectacular extinct forms, such as Ambulocetus, a "walking whale." Visitors will encounter an entire skeleton of the giant, six-horned and saber-tusked Uintatherium; a life-size model of Indricotherium, the largest land mammal that ever lived; one of the oldest fossilized bats ever found; and a diorama featuring the hippo-like Coryphodon, the ancient tapir Thuliadanta, and the tree-climbing carnivore Vulpavus in the once warm and humid swamps and forests of Ellesmere Island, located in the Arctic approximately 50 to 55 million years ago. The exhibition will also include dynamic media displays, animated computer interactives, hands-on activities, and touchable fossils and casts that highlight mammals' distinctive qualities and illuminate the shared ancestry that unites these diverse creatures.

Extreme Mammals is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco; Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada; and Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Please visit AMNH Web site for details.