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« "Embolotherium. They are prehistoric rhinos." »
— Connor Temple[src]


Embolotherium was a genus of brontothere, related to rhinoceros, which lived during the Eocene epoch.

Characteristics[]

Embolotherium were large, heavy and powerful brontothere animals, which grew to be approximately eight feet in height and sixteen feet in length. They possessed a massive build similar to that of rhinoceros, and were most notable for possessing a large bony protuberance emanating from the front end of the skull, which acted as a ram. Female Embolotherium were distinguished from males in that females' rams were more heart-shaped. Embolotherium could use their rams as battering rams against enemies, capable of causing massive damage to others and the environment around them.

Embolotherium possessed a herd mentality, with just one Embolotherium acting out or running after something being enough to cause the others to follow suit and stampede, although at other times, females of the species were passive herbivores. Male Embolotherium, on the other hand, were extremely aggressive and dangerous, attacking and relentlessly pursuing any other animals that aggravated or upset them. Embolotherium were highly protective of their young; when a calf was in distress, it would send out loud cries to adult Embolotherium, which would suddenly become extremely agitated and violent in response to the calf's distress.

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The Embolotherium calf escaping from a tent. (Episode 3.9)

Incursions and encounters[]

Episode 3.9[]

A herd of Embolotherium came through an Anomaly into a forest in the present day near a campsite. While riding through the countryside, a quad-biker found a Embolotherium calf and startled it, causing an adult to come and kill him.

Later, a large, male Embolotherium charged at a groom-to-be tied to a tree. He managed to get back to the campsite, only to find himself in a tent with an injured Embolotherium calf crying for help. In response to the calf's cries, adult Embolotherium began to gather round the tent. Connor Temple, Abby Maitland, Sarah Page and Hilary Becker also found a huge herd of Embolotherium gathered in a clearing.

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Embolotherium charging through a campsite. (Episode 3.9)

Connor kept a large, aggressive male Embolotherium distracted by luring it with a quad-bike. The females gathered around the tent followed the male, but the mother of the injured calf returned in response to the calf's cries. Sarah managed to keep the mother Embolotherium distracted long enough for Abby and the groom to free the calf and return it to the mother. The female Embolotherium then began returning through the Anomaly, but it closed before the last four females could go through; marooning them and the male, which was still chasing Connor, in the Present.

The male subsequently triggered a stampede towards the campsite among the other remaining Embolotherium. Just as the Embolotherium reached the camp, Helen Cutter, who was still disguised as Eve, used an Anomaly Opening Device to open a new Anomaly in front of the charging creatures, causing them to run through before Helen closed the Anomaly.

Real life[]

Embolotherium (name meaning "wedge beast" or "battering ram beast") lived in Mongolia during the Late Eocene. It is calculated to have probably been eight feet tall and to have weighed 2000 kg. It has been theorised that Embolotherium's large bony protuberance on its skull was used for a purpose such as signaling or as a specialized resonator for sound production; it is unlikely that Embolotherium's ram was used as a weapon, as it was more hollow and fragile than the horns of modern-day rhinos. Embolotherium skulls, jaws and other skeletal elements have been found in the Irgilin Dzo and the Ulan Gochu formation in Mongolia.

Gallery[]

This is a small selection of images from the massive gallery page for Embolotherium. To the full collection of images, see here!

Trivia[]

  • The model for the Embolotherium appears to have been used in Series 4 Prequel Webisode 1 as a Stegosaurus. Since the two creatures look nothing alike, only its head is shown in a low quality recording.
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