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#REDIRECT [[List of Animal Planet original programming]]
{{use mdy dates}}
{{article issues|refimprove=February 2010|primarysources=February 2010|original research=February 2010|restructure=February 2010|cleanup=February 2010|fancruft=February 2010}}


{{Redirect category shell|1=
{{Infobox television
{{R from related topic}}
| show_name = Animal Armageddon
{{R unprintworthy}}
| image =
{{R from merge}}
| caption =
| genre = [[Documentary]]
| format = [[3D computer graphics|3D computer]] [[computer animation|animation]]
| camera =
| runtime = 45 minutes
| creator =
| developer =
| executive_producer = Jason McKinley
| starring =
| narrated = [[Michael Carroll]]
| theme_music_composer = Alan Ett
| country = [[United States]]
| language = {{English}}
| company = Digital Ranch Productions
| distributor = [[Discovery Communications]]
| network = [[Animal Planet]]
| first_aired = {{start date|2009|2|12}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2009|9|24}}
| picture_format =
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 8
| list_episodes =
| website = http://animal.discovery.com/tv/animal-armageddon/
| production_website = http://www.digitalranch.tv/
}}
}}

'''''Animal Armageddon''''' is an American [[paleontology]]-based [[documentary]] television [[miniseries]] that originally aired from {{start date|2009|2|12}} to {{end date|2009|9|24}} on [[Animal Planet]]. All the prehistorical scenes are created 100% in [[Lightwave]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} It is produced by Digital Ranch Produtions and all the [[computer graphics]] are designed and created by Radical3D.



==Featured animals==
The following is a list of animal species that the program features. (Note: A means that that particular animal survived that particular mass extinction, E means that that particular animal went extinct during that particular mass extinction, and Evolved Into... means that animal survived the extinction as a more advanced species.)

{|
|valign="top"|

===Death Rays===
* ''[[Isotelus]]'' (Trilobite) (A)<ref>[[Isotelus]] was identified as [[Trilobite]] on the show.</ref>
* ''[[Astraspis]]'' (Evolved into Acanthodian)
* Straight [[Nautiloid]] (A)
* [[Eurypterid]] (A)
* Coiled [[Nautiloid]] (A)
* [[Acanthodian]] (A)

===Hell on Earth===
* ''[[Cheirolepis]]'' (Evolved into Actinopterygian)
* ''[[Dunkleosteus]]'' (E)
* ''[[Eusthenopteron]]'' (Evolved into Tiktaalik)
* ''[[Materpiscis]]'' (E)
* ''[[Tiktaalik]]'' (Evolved into Ichthyostega)
* ''[[Bothriolepis]]'' (A)
* ''[[Ichthyostega]]'' (A)

===Doomsday===
* ''[[Purgatorius]]'' (A)<ref>[[Purgatorius]], [[Edmontosaurus]], [[Triceratops]], [[Tyrannosaurus Rex]], and [[Troodon]] were briefly seen in "Strangled".</ref>
* ''[[Edmontosaurus]]'' (A)<ref>[[Edmontosaurus]] was identified as a [[Hadrosaur]] in the show.</ref>
* ''[[Troodon]]'' (A)
* ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' (A)
* ''[[Mosasaurus]]'' (A)
* ''[[Deinosuchus|Phobosuchus]]'' (A)
* ''[[Triceratops]]'' (A)
* ''[[Quetzalcoatlus]]'' (A)
* [[Ammonite]] (A)
|width="30"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|
===Panic in the Sky===
* ''[[Protoceratops]]'' (E)
* ''[[Dromaeosaurus]]'' (E)
* ''[[Tarbosaurus]]'' (E)<ref>[[Tarbosaurus]] was not featured on the website.</ref>
* ''[[Alamosaurus]]'' (E)
* [[Ammonite]] (E)
* ''[[Cretoxyrhina]]'' (Evolved into Shark)
* ''[[Purgatorius]]'' (A)
* ''[[Troodon]]'' (E)
* ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' (E)
* ''[[Triceratops]]'' (E)
* ''[[Mosasaurus]]'' (E)

===The Great Dying===
* ''[[Lystrosaurus]]'' (A)<ref>[[Lystrosaurus]], [[Gorgonops]], [[Proterosuchus]], and [[Dicynodon]] were briefly seen in "Strangled".</ref>
* ''[[Gorgonops]]'' (E)
* ''[[Thrinaxodon]]'' (A)
* ''[[Proterosuchus]]'' (A)
* ''[[Dicynodon]]'' (E)

===Strangled===
* ''[[Eudimorphodon]]'' (E)
* ''[[Rutiodon]]'' (E)
* ''[[Desmatosuchus]]'' (E)
* ''[[Megazostrodon]]'' (A)
* ''[[Staurikosaurus]]'' (A)

===Fire and Ice===
* ''[[Human|Homo sapiens]]'' (A)<ref>[[Homo Sapiens]] was shown in live action.</ref>
* ''[[Elasmotherium]]'' (E)
* [[Leopard|Sumatran Leopard]] (E)
* ''[[Gigantopithecus]]'' (Evolved into Orangutan)
* [[Cougar|Puma]] (A)
* ''[[Stegodon]]'' (A)
* [[Cave Lion]] (E)<ref>The [[Cave Lion]] was identified as ''[[Cave Lion|Panthera Leo Spelaea]]'' on the show.</ref>
* [[Woolly Mammoth]] (A)<ref>The [[Woolly Mammoth]] was identified simply as [[Mammoth]] on the show.</ref>
|width="30"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|

===The Next Extinction===
* [[Human]] (A, but in small numbers)
* [[Cockroach]] (A)<ref>The [[Cockroach]] and [[Rat]] are bigger than the modern day animals.</ref>
* [[Rat]] (A)
* [[Red-tailed Hawk|Falcon]] (A, but in small numbers)
* [[Monitor Lizard]] (Unknown)
* [[Elephant]] (Unknown)<ref>The [[elephant]] is the ancestor of the [[Woolly Mammoth]] and [[Stegodon]] on the show.</ref>
* [[Ant]] (A)
* [[Bee]] (Unknown)
* [[Rhinoceros]] (Unknown)
* [[Grizzly Bear]] (A)
* [[Humboldt Penguin]] (Unknown)
* [[Impala]] (Unknown)
* [[Gray Wolf]] (Unknown)
* [[Wildebeest]] (Unknown)
* [[Giraffe]] (Unknown)
* [[Lion]] (Unknown)
* [[Gorilla]] (Unknown)
* [[Gaur]] (A as domesticated species)
* [[Crocodile]] (A)
* [[Armadillo]] (A)
* [[White-tailed Deer]] (Unknown)
* [[Parrot]] (Unknown)
* [[Cheetah]] (Unknown)
* [[Sea Lion]] (Unknown)
|width="40"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|
|}

==Locations==

{|
|valign="top"|

===Death Rays===
*[[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]
*Mexico
*Europe

===Hell on Earth===
*[[Siberia]]
*[[Greenland]]
*[[Pennsylvania]]
*[[Morocco]]
*[[Italy|Southern Italy]]
|width="30"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|

===Doomsday===
*Alaska
*[[Montana]]
*Mexico
*Texas

===Panic in the Sky===
*Mongolia
*China
*Alaska
*Alberta
|width="30"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|

===The Great Dying===
*[[Kansas]]
*[[Siberia]]
*[[South Africa]]
*[[Egypt|North Africa]]

===Strangled===
*[[Appalachian Mountains]]
*[[Arizona]]
*South Africa
|width="30"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|

===Fire and Ice===
*[[Sumatra]]
*[[Vietnam]]
*North America
*India

===The Next Extinction===
*New York City
*[[Arizona]]
*[[Siberia]]
*Mexico
|width="30"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|
|}

==Episodes==

{| cellspacing="0" border="1" bgcolor="white"
|-
! Original airdate
! Ep#
! Title
! Event
! Time frame
! [[Kiloannum]] (ka) ago
! Summary
|-
|{{start date|2009|2|12}}
|1
|"Death Rays"
|[[Ordovician-Silurian extinction event]]
|[[Ordovician]]
|450,000–447,000
|A deadly [[gamma-ray burst]] evidently triggers the first known mass extinction in the history of [[Earth]]. Describes how the marine communities (there was barely multicellular life on land at this time) cope under the hypothetical gamma ray burst that affected the Earth by altering the atmospheric composition and stability.
|-
|{{start date|2009|2|19}}
|2
|"Hell on Earth"
|[[Late Devonian extinction]]
|[[Devonian]]
|377,000–367,000
| A [[superplume]] volcanic explosion blots out the [[sun]], driving life to the brink of extinction. It causes many eruptions in the world, a leak of gasses and the consequent [[greenhouse effect]].
|-
|{{start date|2009|2|26}}
|3
|"Doomsday"<ref>Many of the animals in "Doomsday were also in "Panic in the Sky", as well as the other way around.</ref><ref>Almost all the animals of "Doomsday" and "Panic in the Sky are also in "The Next Extinction".</ref>
|[[Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event]]
|[[Cretaceous]]
|65,000
|An [[asteroid]] the size of [[Mount Everest]] is about to end the age of the dinosaurs, followed by powerful [[earthquake]]s, [[megatsunami]]s, and a lethal rain of flaming rocky debris during the first 24 hours. When the a fragment of the asteroid impacts Earth, it causes a herd of [[Edmontosaurus]] to [[stampede]]. At the beach, a [[megatsunami]] kills another herd of Edmontosaurus. The dead bodies are later fed on by several [[Phobosuchus]]. Later, the actual asteroid crashes into the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. This causes giant megatsunamis to engulf various coastlines. In Texas, a [[Tyrannosaurus rex]] is engulfed by a flashing bright light. In the sky, the entire asteroid is blown into millions of tiny pieces, which rain down on Earth. A [[Purgatorius]] seeks shelter in a cave while a herd of [[Triceratops]] stampedes from the massive wall of fire engulfing everything. Eventually, the impact of the asteroid sets the stage for the events depicted in the next episode, Panic in the Sky.
|-
|{{start date|2009|3|5}}
|4
|"Panic in the Sky"
|Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event
|Cretaceous
|65,000
|[[Wildfires]], [[acid rain]], global darkness, and [[snow storm]]s spell death for the [[dinosaurs]] during their final year. After the first 24 hours of the asteroid impact, wildfires consume much of the [[United States]] surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. Later, weather patterns bring sulphur and [[acid rain]], killing off many animals. In Cretaceous [[China]], a [[Tarbosaurus]] suffers and later dies of the acid. In Mongolia, an impact winter causes a pack of [[Velociraptor]]s to suffer. A whole herd of [[Protoceratops]] dies of [[frostbite]] as a result. Later, the Purgatorius from the previous episode emerges to eat insects.
|-
|{{start date|2009|9|3}}
|5
|"The Great Dying"
|[[Permian–Triassic extinction event]]
|[[Permian]]
|250,000–249,200
250 million years ago foresees the [[Siberian Traps]] exploding into an active [[volcano]]. The eruption of the Siberian Traps causes land ecosystems to be put under serious stress due to severe climate change caused by basalt flow volcanic eruptions in Siberia, thus modifying the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The [[Siberian Traps]] explode into a huge active volcano. The resulting pryoclastic surge engulfs a whole herd of [[Lystrosaurus]]. Elsewhere, another herd of Lystrosaurus in South Africa is suffering from massive heat waves and [[acid rain]]. Back in SIberia, entire animals die from smoke inhalation. An [[Inostrancevia]] struggles to find food. Luckily, he manages to grab a [[Dycinodon]] to eat. As the Permian extinction ends, the Lystrosaurus survive, while Inostrancevia and Dicynodonts die and never see the light of day again.
|-
|{{start date|2009|9|10}}
|6
|"Strangled" <ref>"Strangled is the only episode that does not say what would happen if that same catastrophe happened today.</ref>
|[[Triassic-Jurassic extinction event]]
|[[Triassic]]
|200,000
|Scorching [[lava]], suffocating [[heat]] and [[toxic gas]]es violently causes a mass extinction 200 million years ago, allowing the dinosaurs to take the dominant role.
|-
|{{start date|2009|9|17}}
|7
|"Fire and Ice"
|[[Quaternary extinction event]]
|[[Pleistocene]]
|74–10
|This episode explores the eruption of [[Lake Toba]] 74,000 years ago, killing animals like [[Elasmotherium]] and the [[Sumatran Leopard]], and other animals in prehistoric [[Sumatra]]. In India, the giant ash plume causes ash to fall in prehistoric [[India]]. The result is millions of more prehistoric animals like [[Stegodon]] and [[Cave Lion]]s. In prehistoric [[Vietnam]], the ash plume suffocates millions of animals like [[Gigantopithecus]] and [[Puma]]s. The end results in a massive blanket of ash blanketing [[Sumatra]], [[Java]], Vietnam, and [[India]], killing animals in all four areas
|-
|{{start date|2009|9|24}}
|8
|"The Next Extinction"
|Future<ref>The fate of the animals in "The Next Extinction" is unknown.</ref>
|Not too distant future
|Future
|This episode explains what mass extinction [[human]]s [[Risks to civilization, humans and planet Earth|will be experiencing in the future]].
|}

==Inaccuracies==
As in any [[paleobiology]] dramatization, there are several mistakes, ignored in order to have a simple, direct explanation for each episode:
*[[Pangea]] in the [[Permian]] is pictured as an idyllic, Eden-like place to live. Geological evidence shows that there was a progressive drying of the bulk mass of the supercontinent, at such a level that by the eve of the Great Dying (251.4 million years BP) the climate was strongly seasonal and monsoonal, and marine communities were already under stress due to the reduction of the shallow seas caused by the assembling of Pangea earlier in the Permian.
*The Great Dying episode focuses on land communities, which lost about 70% of their species. But the Permo-Triassic extinction hit the marine ecosystems harder, so probably a dramatization focused on marine animals would have been a better example of what happened.
*A Gamma-ray burst is presented as THE explanation for the End-Ordovician extinction, despite this theory being relatively new, untested and difficult to prove. It is more likely, according to paleontologists, that this event was caused by the [[climate]] and sea temperature changes brought about by the positioning of South America and Africa over the [[South Pole]] (because of continental drift), which led to the onset of an [[ice cap]] that covered these [[continent]]s extensively.

*Lystrosaurus was depicted living in the Permian era. This, however, violates common sense. Lystrosaurus lived in the Triassic instead of the Permian, although fossils have been found in Permian rocks.

*The [[Gorgonopsian]] depicted in [[The Great Dying]] was shown looking like a large lion-like creature with a few tufts of hair growing out of his shoulders. This is wrong, as it was built like a synapsid and not a totally mammal-built animal.

*''[[Thrinaxodon]]'' did not live in the [[Permian]] as depicted in [[The Great Dying]]. But its likely ancestor ''[[Procynosuchus]]'' did.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
*{{official|http://animal.discovery.com/tv/animal-armageddon/}}
*{{imdb title|1327845}}

[[Category:Animal Planet shows]]
[[Category:Documentaries about prehistoric life]]
[[Category:2009 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2009 American television series endings]]

[[fr:Animal Armageddon]]

Latest revision as of 23:14, 29 June 2020

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