Oreodont

Oreodonts, often called the “ruminating hogs” of prehistoric North America, roamed the plains and forests from about 40 to 5 million years ago, during the Eocene to Miocene epochs. These quirky, extinct mammals weren’t hogs at all but belonged to a unique family called Merycoidodontidae, blending traits of camels, pigs, and sheep. With stocky bodies, short tails, and cloven hooves, they stood about knee-high to a human, sporting elongated snouts packed with teeth suited for grinding tough plants. Fossils show they thrived in herds across what’s now the western U.S., their abundance making them a staple find in places like the Badlands.