Tseng: Giant Wolf-Sized Otters Had Massive Bone-Crushing Jaws

Research by Jack Tseng, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and anatomical sciences, suggests that a now-extinct Chinese otter that roamed lakes or swamps 6 million years ago was almost as large as a wolf and had jawbones capable of crushing large shells, as well as birds and mammals, making it a key predator in its ecosystem. “We don’t know for sure, but we think that this otter was more of a top predator than living species of otters are,” Tseng says. “Our findings imply that Siamogale could crush much harder and larger prey than any living otter can.”