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Sivatherium

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iSivatherium
Fossil range: Pliocene to Late Pleistocene

Image:Sivatherium hharder.png

Sivatherium giganteum

Conservation status

Extinct (fossil)

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Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Giraffidae
Genus:	Sivatherium

Species

S. giganteum (type species)
?S. hendeyi
?S. maurusium
?S. olduvaiense

Sivatherium ('Shiva beast)' is an extinct genus of giraffe that ranged through out Africa to Southern Asia (mostly India). The African species, S. maursium, was once placed within the genus "Libyatherium."

Sivatherium resembled the modern okapi, but was far larger being about 2.2 meters (7 ft 4 in) tall at the shoulder. 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.