Ancient Skeleton of Diprodoton optatum Unearthed By Scientists In Australia

A remarkable discovery by scientists of a  ’giant wombat’s’ skeleton has been unearthed in Australia’s state of Queensland.

Diprodoton optatum Complete Skeleton Unearthed in Queensland Australia

The plant-eating marsupial was a massive hippo-sized beast known as Diprodoton optatum and believed to have lived two million years ago and was found on a farm in north-eastern Queensland.

The ‘giant hippo’ would have been the size of a four-wheel drive and weigh an impressive three tonnes according to the experts.

The find of the  Diprodoton optatum is one of the countries most prolific pre-historic finds because it is the first time that an almost complete skeleton of this animal has been uncovered despite the animal being widespread across Australia 50,000 years ago.

Professor of Biological Science at New South Wales University, Mike Archer described this important find as extraordinary, adding:

“We found the most gigantic marsupial ever known.

“These were very huge animals but with pouches.

“If one tried to visualise what this things looked like, you would have to imagine a gigantic wombat on steroids.”

Each pre-historic discovery is able to offer a clue as to how and why so many animals became extinct whether by being hunted by humans or becasue of climate change.

This fabulous specimen of Diprodoton optatum is being taken to the Riversleigh Fossil Centre, a world heritage site in Queensland which is the present home of a wide array of prehistoric creatures.