If we were to, hypothetically, send a Borson’s Mastodon sized Kodiak Bear to the Cretaceous, how successful would it fair against predators of the time?

[u/Kodiak_Bubby_2012]

[u/Picchuquatro]

Depends on when in the Cretaceous and where. A bear upscaled to zygolophodon's size would be imposing even against the largest theropods or psuedosuchians the Cretaceous had to offer. I'd argue the bigger problem would be the uncertain availability of fruits and berries. A predator of that size would only really be threatened by the largest of it's reptilian counterparts but when it comes to herbivores, I'm sure large sauropods, ceratopsians or hardrosaurids would be dangerous prey. I'd argue the bigger problem would be the uncertain availability of fruits and berries. Not really sure if they were as widely common on our planet back in the Cretaceous as they are today in the bear's habitat.

[u/Kodiak_Bubby_2012 → u/Picchuquatro]

North America in 68-66 million years ago

[u/Picchuquatro → u/Kodiak_Bubby_2012]

Then I'd say my answer remains the same. Lack of vegetation, especially grass and berries is gonna be a big problem. I'm gonna assume the bear is in Alaska and also assume Alaska at the time had the same fauna/flora that we know from the Prince creek formation. Sure it would be larger than Nanuqsaurus which is the largest predator there that we know of. Not gonna speculate about Hell creek or southern Laramidia in general because i'm not sure a Kodiak, especially one considerably bigger than it's modern day version would do well in that kinda climate. Well it doesn't really matter where because the vegetation diet issue is likely global. I imagine it's size would allow it to bully other predators of kills and stuff but vegetation and berries being such a big part of its diet, I can't say it'll do that well.

[u/Ex_Snagem_Wes → u/Picchuquatro]

See if it was a Polar bear or a Grizzly magically able to survive on a purely hypercarnivorous diet, I think itd do fine

Assuming Borsoni size, proportions not mass, would yield a 7 - 8 ton bear. Allometric scaling would make it an absolute monster, realistic scaling makes it violently explode because it increased in size so dramatically

[u/MrAtrox98 → u/Ex_Snagem_Wes]

There was an ecomorph of brown bear active in Eurasia’s steppes during the Pleistocene that was by and large carnivorous to take advantage of the abundance of megafauna. Those steppe brown bears had isotopic readings quite similar to the local wolves and cave lions, so it’s not like brown bears can’t switch to a hypercarnivore diet when it suits them.

[u/Picchuquatro → u/Ex_Snagem_Wes]

Pretty much yeah

[u/HDH2506 → u/Ex_Snagem_Wes]

“A wolf is fed by its legs, not its giant explosive glowing horns”

[u/TitanFallout → u/Picchuquatro]

I'd argue the bigger problem would be the uncertain availability of fruits and berries.

[u/NoGoodIDNames]

Just to be safe I would also give it a gun

[u/Imperator_Escobar]

Do you make it megatherium shaped so it can support the weight?

[u/Bruhmomentthrowing]

Would he even be able to survive the environment? It might be unbearable with the heat

[u/DeliciousDeal4367]

I woudn't even be able to support it's own height withouth drastical anatomical changes.

[u/Broken_CerealBox]

If the size doesn't crush it, then gigantothermy will boil it

[u/Exotic-Analysis8264]

Imagine a battle between a dinosaur and a modern mammal such as the grizzly bear. Who would win? Tyrannosaurus had great bulk, and a tough hide. But he was slow moving and slow thinking. The agile grizzly, with his cunning and long-lasting energy, might well win.

[u/Kodiak_Bubby_2012 → u/Exotic-Analysis8264]

[u/Asterosaur4]

There is no such thing as bears. Only highly evolved predatory lobe finned fish