In 2017, on an trip out West, I made it a priority to visit the Tar Pits Museum in Los Angeles. My phone had unfortunately taken a plunge in the Pacific Ocean a day prior to our arrival in LA so no pictures were taken, all the better, I had all the time to walk around the exhibit museum grounds to soak up the spectacular displays. It was utterly surreal to be in the presence of specimens and skeletal structures of animals that I've seen countless times online and studied for even more hours as part of my sculpture journey. This video recount that day in the context of the recent reclassification of the dire wolf and my own developing understanding of how it might have looked. Thank you for watching.

Who was the Dire wolf? Early this year a genetic analysis of ancient DNA of the North American prehistoric wolf - dire wolf, concluded that it was not at all related to the modern gray wolf as previously assumed. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dire-wolves-were-not-really-wolves-new-genetic-clues-reveal/ In this video I cover the diversity and evolution of the dogs and attempt to contextualise the Dire wolf. If it wasn't related to the modern grey wolf, were does he stand amongst the Canidae? Was the Dire wolf a South American maned wolf, a giant fox, a jackal or something all together different? Thank you and Enjoy. Sergei Merjeevski.

This video is entirely dedicated to the celebration and propagation of the stunning art of naturalist and paleo artist, Velizar Simenovski. A magnificent testimony to Velizar's intimate knowledge of the anatomy, past and present history of the Lion, Panthera Leo across the world. May the roar of Leo Panthera be heard across many more generations to come! Lions forever, Lions always! Conserve, Restore, Rewild! Hope you enjoy. Sergei Merjeevski. I do not claim any of the artwork or photography used in this production. Music - Shadowfall by Audiomachine.

Reconstruction of Panthera Leo Atrox based on Specimen 2900 - 3 that adorns the halls of the Page museum/Tar Pits museum in Los Angeles. Simply one of the biggest lions known. Harkening back to a time before 12,000 years when lions used to be the most widespread carnivore on Earth, roaming from Africa, across Europe, through Siberia, Alaska, North America, down to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and maybe even South America. Lions are utterly magnificent, the goal of this reconstruction was to give that flavour back to the Pleistocene Kings that once roamed across OurPlanet. 2019's remake of Lion King gave Scar, more depth, darkness and grounding. His iconic song, Be Prepared, turned into Poetry. I was completely struck, terrified even, of the allure 2019 Scar had on me. Compelled, I knew exactly how to amplify and ride that wave of inspiration. Behold the American lions, who in this rendering are operating together, as a devastating coalition. I extend my thanks and gratitude for the support provided by the prolific and extremely talented paleoartist - Hodari Nundu, for the creation of the stunning background. Check out the full renderings. https://www.instagram.com/sergeimerjeevski/ https://www.deviantart.com/smerjeevski https://www.facebook.com/serge.merjeevski/ Thank you and Enjoy.

What is The Difference Between A Tiger and Smilodon Fatalis. Smilodon is one of the most recognizable icon of the ice age, late Pleistocene, mammal chapter of life on Earth. Today the Tiger is an icon of biodiversity, wildness and the most potent ambassador of OurPlanet. Smilodon became extinct some 12,000 years ago, the Tiger still shares our world. Known for two hundred years Smilodon has been hard to understand. Unmistakably a cat, yet how did it move, hunt, live, love, raise young and used its incredible canines. Who was the “sabertoothed tiger” and how does he compare to today’s most celebrated Panther cat, The Tiger. Where did these two animals come from, what is their evolutionary history and how are they even related? The casts from BoneClones.com provide an intimate look into the detailed cranial osteology of these two cats and shed clues about the similarities and differences between Smilodon fatalis and Panthera tigris. I hope you enjoy this video. Sergei Merjeevski. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram.

Smilodon, is the most iconic Cenozoic predator. The most spectacular cat to have roamed the earth. Its shape has beguiled man kind and revealed their world under new light. Digital art and a lifelong obsession combine, to render the most profoundly studied reconstruction of Smilodon fatalis to date. It is my pleasure to share with this work and its subsequent evolution. Thank you for tuning in. Poster available – Makingsabertooths.com

Though it resembles today’s living leopard, promegantereon belonged to a deeper, earlier branch of the cat family. Across Eurasia 13 million years ago, promegantereon was at the very beginning history of cats. Cats had to adapt quickly to efficiently take hold and dispatch their prey. Promegantereon shared its habitat with the much larger, lion sized sabertothed cat machairodus, as well as large hyenas, bear dogs, giant pigs and other ferocious, late Miocene fauna. Promegantereon, much like today’s leopards had to be swift and live in the shadows of much larger than itself. With a longer neck, flattened canines and strongly built forearms Promegantereon was a strong grappler. Its canines were flattened and bladed. Instead of suffocating Promegantereon did its killing with a ripping shearing bite to the throat after firmly immobilizing it’s prey. Promegantereon was starting to perfect a movement that would give rise to the most fearsome cats known, the sabertoothed cats. This metal sculpture and a digital reconstruction, are based on the osteological remains found at the fossil site Cerro Batallones outside of Madrid. Poster available - http://www.making-sabertooths.com I hope you enjoyed this video. Sergei Merjeevski. Facebook Twitter Instagram

In 2014 and subsequently on a few more occasions I was fortunate enough to visit the Moholoholo wildlife rehabilitation centre in Hoedspruit South Africa. There I met a wide range of African carnivores including cheetahs. Before anyone gets up in arms about cub petting, let me clarify, I am aware and against any facility or practice that involves breeding for photo op and cub petting. That being said. The facility did have a litter the year of my visit, a litter destined for captivity and ambassadorship which enriches the lives of people that come visit and goes a long way to educate locals and travellers alike. Proximity to wildlife in carefully managed, well functioning facilities nourish people's appreciation for wildlife and helps promote a deeper connection and understanding with the natural world. The adult cat in the video is called Xinandi (Shanandi). She was already of a significant age at the time of my visit. She was docile, amicable, very approachable and down right bewitching to behold at such close quarters. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to fathom this incredible cat so intimately. To the artists mentioned. My deepest thanks extends to you. Your work has inspired me for many years and has added fuel to the fire of my development and understanding of the unfolding of the natural world and its most spectacular creatures. Hans Zimmer's music is a staple on my playlists and matches superbly to the wonderful, extatic, bombastic, expressions of the natural world. I do not wish to take credit for the musical work or the art here represented. It is but the giant shoulders upon which I stand state simply that these are the sources that inspire me most. I hope this video teaches you something new about cheetahs and inspires you to celebrate and rejoice in the expressions of the natural world. Sincerely, Sergei Merjeevski. Find out more about the piece @SergeiMerjeevski on instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Deviantart.