20,000 years ago, two American cheetahs fought to the death in a Grand Canyon cave

[UngulateNerd92]

Some 20,000 years ago in a cave in a cliff wall in the Grand Canyon, two American cheetahs battled tooth against claw. The victor is lost to history, but one of the big cats, a juvenile that was bitten through the spine, likely died where it fell on the cave floor, leaving behind bones and bits of mummified tissue.

Now, the remains of this unfortunate feline, along with fossils from two other Grand Canyon caves, have revealed that the extinct American cheetah (Miracinonyx trumani) may not have been swift flatland sprinters like Africa's modern cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). Instead, these cats may have been more like today's snow leopards (Panthera uncia), prowling cliff sides and rocky regions and eating mostly mountain goats and bighorn sheep.


Scientists found the fossils decades ago and they identified the bones at the time as belonging to mountain lions (Puma concolor). But recent re-analysis of the bones revealed that they instead belong to the American cheetah, which is known from other fossil sites. American cheetahs were closely related to mountain lions, but had the short snout and slim proportions of today's African cheetahs.

20,000 years ago, two American cheetahs fought to the death in a Grand Canyon cave

 

[Pantheraman]

In other words, introducing African Cheetahs to North America to replace Miracinonyx wouldn't be plausible.

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Here is another relevant article.

Solving a cold case from the Ice Age at Grand Canyon

Fossil remains re-identified as American cheetah at Grand Canyon.

The fossilized remains of four large cats, found in caves in Grand Canyon National Park several decades ago and thought to be mountain lion remains, have now been identified as American cheetahs (Miracinonyx).

Rampart Cave was discovered and excavated by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1936 and was a residence of the extinct giant Shasta ground sloth, whose skeletons and hair reside now in park collections.

A host of other species were recovered from Rampart including saber-tooth cats, vampire bats and the remains now identified as American cheetah.

According to new research by John-Paul Hodnett, planning commission paleontologist for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the American cheetah went extinct around 10,000 years ago.

Solving a cold case from the Ice Age at Grand Canyon