Ancylotherium was the swan song of the doomed chalicothere family.  While still being related to modern horses, Ancylotherium was the last of a dying race, coexsisting alongside many other creatures including Australopithecus.  Despite this, they still managed to last for almost 7 million years, and were still relatively successful.

Basic info

Meaning of name: Ancylotherium means "hooked beast".

Time of existence: Ancylotherium lived from the late Miocene to the early Pleistocene, 6.5 million to 1.8 million years ago.

Diet: Like its earlier relative Chalicotherium, Ancylotherium was a herbivore, feeding on leaves and fruits.

Threats: Ancylotherium was a prey item for many big cats like Dinofelis.

Size: Ancylotherium grew to a height 6.6 feet.

Attributes: Unlike its earlier ancestor, Ancylotherium did not walk on its knuckles, instead walking flat-footed, as they did not have the giant claws that Chalicotherium had.  Ancylotherium also had a battery of teeth used to grind food. 

A herd of Ancylotherium wander a rocky plain

Appearances in the Walking with... series

Walking with Beasts

Strangely enough, on the DVD when selecting Next of Kin, the silhouette of Ancylotherium can be seen, despite it having no prominent role in the episode and only being there to add another creature.

Episode 4-Next of Kin

Ancylotherium is a recurring sight in the episode, although they play no prominent role.  A group of Ancylotherium is first seen feeding on a tree near a Deinotherium as the sun rises.  A group of Ancylotherium, including a youngster, are seen walking through some plains at the edge of the forest, and two are seen drinking from a water hole with some Australopithecus, as they are fairly harmless neighbors.  However, when some Deinotherium arrive at the water hole, the Ancylotherium make a wise choice and are seen leaving.

Ancylotherium leaving the water hole as some Deinotherium arrive

Ancylotherium makes a final appearance when the Australopithecus troop finds a new territory, where they are seen grazing on the plains.  They are seen eating fallen fruit before a male Australopithecus named Hercules charges him, scaring it off.  After this, Ancylotherium is not seen again.

Hercules chases an Ancylotherium off