The skeleton of a Smilodon

I am writing another post about a feline, but this one is sadly extinct. This (very bad) picture was taken at the Natural History Museum. It is of course the skeleton of a smilodon, the most famous saber-toothed cat. One of the museum's big attractions, it seems. The look is quite striking and even with only a skeleton the Smilodon is terrifying. Actually, he may look even scarier with only his skeleton on. You see his carnivorous teeth better and you could think he could jump, break through the glass and tear you apart with his fangs. I love all sorts of cats, big and small, and I love the predatory part of their nature (as I mentioned here). And you cannot have a more perfect predator than a Smilodon. Sadly, in the long road through life on Earth that is evolution, this big fella got lost. Which reminds me that however impressive a feline is, in the end he remains vulnerable, and might end up like this, a skeleton in a museum. So not only do I find the remains of this Smilodon impressive, I also find them tragic.