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Titanotheres are a now extinct group of gigantic Rhinoceros-like perissodactyls (odd toed ungulates "hoofed mammals") which roamed in herds, primarily in the "Badlands" area of the United States and Canada. These enormous beasts, stood up to 8 feet and were so abundant during their time that entire fossil beds have been found at several locations in the Badlands area.
Because of their massive size and the abundance of Titanotheres fossils in the area, the Sioux Nation tribe actually incorporated them into their mythology, naming them "Brontothere" meaning "Thunder beast", in reference to the thunderous noise they would have made when galloping through the heavens and skies.
Titanotheres were strictly herbivores with a diet constricted to browsing. This is reinforced by their large "W" shaped molars, constructed for grinding and chewing, most likely upon plants and other vegetation.
Titanotheres had a large unusual bony "Y" shaped horn, which protruded just above its nose. The horn was much larger on males and it's thought they used it against other males for head butting, as do elk, rams and other horned animals do when challenging each other for supremacy within their own herd. The females had a much smaller horn appendage, which was used to protect their young from the predators of their time.
Mixed theories of Titanothere's extinction include mass burial due to volcanic ash and starvation as climate change altered their habitat from lush vegetative green lands into grasslands.
