Plastic Amebelodon

Dumbo had big ears...this guy had big teeth!

Our Plastic Amebelodon

Made of solid plastic by Safari, Ltd., one of the best names in plastic toy animals, this amebelodon's superior design and details make it a museum-quality replica or collector's item, and yet the price puts it in range for the average collector of plastic animals. It measures 5 3/4 inches from the short trunk to the tail and stands 3 inches tall. It comes with an informational tag in French, Italian, Spanish, German, and English. This sturdy, durable prehistoric mammal is also excellent for school projects, novelties, party favors or even as a children's toy. You can make a splendid Ice Age shoebox diorama using this and other plastic creatures from our gift shop. Be sure to look over our other mammoth and mastodon toys and gifts.

About Amebelodon

Amebelodon first appeared in North America around 8-9 million years ago. After migrating across the Bering land bridge, this species of primitive proboscideans went extinct about 5 million years ago. Individual amebelodon varied a great deal in size, but the largest (Amebelodon britti) was 8-10 feet tall at the shoulder and weighed about 10 metric tons...larger than the biggest living elephant today.

The spade-like lower tusks of this species of mastodon earned them the nickname "Shovel Tuskers." These long, flat tusks were perfect for "shoveling up" plants, especially from the bottoms of ponds, and could also be used to scrape the bark off trees. The upper tusks were most likely used to defend against predators. Fossil remains of amebelodons have been found world wide, including in eastern Oregon in the 1930s.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.