Sivatherium ('Shiva's beast)' is an extinct genus of giraffid that ranged throughout Africa to the Indian Subcontinent. The African species, S. maurusium, was once placed within the genus "Libytherium." It may have become extinct as recently as 8,000 years ago, as depictions that greatly resemble it are known from ancient rock paintings in the Sahara desert. The Asian Species, S. giganteum, had a height of 3 m and was one of the largest prehistoric giraffes known alongside its Chinese counterpart, Honanotherium. S. giganteum inhabited the Himalayan Foothills of the Indian Subcontinent and also Tajikistan during the Late Neogene-Late Quaternary periods.
Description[]
Sivatherium resembled the modern okapi, but was far larger, and more heavily built, being about 2.2 meters (7 ft 4 in) tall at the shoulder, 3 m (10 ft) in total height with a weight up to 500 kg. It had a wide, antler-like pair of ossicones on its head, and a second pair of ossicones above its eyes. Its shoulders were very powerful to support the neck muscles required to lift the heavy skull.
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