Large, bone-crushing dogs stalked 'Rhino Pompeii' after Yellowstone eruption 12 million years ago, ancient footprints reveal

Researchers discovered ancient footprints of large, bone-crushing dogs in the Ashfall Fossil Beds of northeastern Nebraska, suggesting these predators survived the catastrophic Yellowstone eruption 12 million years ago, which buried numerous animals in ash. The footprints, up to 3.2 inches long, match those of extinct canids Aelurodon taxoides and Epicyon saevus, indicating they may have scavenged on buried carcasses after the eruption.