Roman Uchytel is a Ukrainian paleontologist and graphic designer who recreates prehistoric fauna, providing an interesting scale comparison of our ancestors’ features. He contrasts the sizes of extinct species with their modern relatives, placing them side by side and the result is fascinating!
“My wife and business partner Alexandra Antonova (Uchytel) and I came up with this idea together, for our children to know what the ancestors (or relatives) of the animals they see in the zoo looked like,” Uchytel shared with Bored Panda.
Scroll down and take a glimpse into the past! For more captivating comparisons, check out our previous articles here and here.
More info: Instagram | prehistoric-fauna.com | flickr.com | Facebook | twitter.com
#1 The Modern Sunda Pangolin And The Extinct Giant Asian Pangolin
Image credits: romanuchytel
Growing up, Roman lived near a zoo, and he spent nearly all of his time there. “I dreamt of becoming a zoologist and often sketched animals. I eventually graduated from art school and university. You could say that I am an artist by training and a naturalist at heart,” the artist writes on his website.
#2 The Modern Grevy’s Zebra And The Extinct Macrauchenia
Image credits: romanuchytel
#3 The Modern Trumpeter Swan And The Extinct Demon Duck
Image credits: romanuchytel
“My knowledge of animal anatomy makes it much easier to accurately draw all sorts of beasts and birds. My childhood fascination with animals is stronger than ever. Using only their skeletons, I bring creatures to life that roamed the same routes that take you to and from work hundreds of thousands of years ago. What was once a hobby is now my life’s calling. You won’t find any dinosaurs here. In my drawings, I recreate the world that surrounded them, the long-extinct animals that you may never have seen.”
#4 The Modern Asian Tapir And The Extinct Moropus
Image credits: romanuchytel
#5 The Modern Nicobar Pigeon And The Extinct Dodo
Image credits: romanuchytel
Roman shared with us that he started studying Photoshop right after he graduated. “I tried different functions for fun. But the basis of everything is my artistic education and the vast amount of scientific literature about animals that I’ve read since I was a teenager or even kid.”
#6 The Modern Great Hippopotamus And The Extinct Andrewsarchus
Image credits: romanuchytel
#7 The Modern Grevy’s Zebra And The Extinct Embolotherium
Image credits: romanuchytel
#8 The Modern African Lion And The Extinct Simbakubwa
Image credits: romanuchytel
#9 The Modern Shire Horse And The Extinct Eohippus
Image credits: romanuchytel
#10 The Modern Wild Turkey And The Extinct Sylviornis
Image credits: romanuchytel
#11 The Modern Bengal Tiger And The Extinct Sarkastodon
Image credits: romanuchytel
#12 The Modern African Wild Dog And The Extinct Xenocyon
Image credits: romanuchytel
#13 The Modern Koala And The Extinct Marsupial Lion
Image credits: romanuchytel
#14 The Modern Tasmanian Devil And The Extinct Whollydooleya
Image credits: romanuchytel
#15 The Modern African Forest Elephant And The Extinct Arsinoitherium
Image credits: romanuchytel
#16 The Modern Moonrat And The Extinct Gargano Giant Gymnure
Image credits: romanuchytel
#17 The Modern Cougar And The Extinct American Cheetah
Image credits: romanuchytel
#18 The Modern African Savanna Elephant And The Extinct Deinotherium
Image credits: romanuchytel
#19 The Modern Giant River Otter And The Extinct Giant Ethiopian Otter
Image credits: romanuchytel
#20 The Modern Polar Bear And The Extinct Giant Amphicyon
Image credits: romanuchytel
#21 The Modern Fossa And The Extinct Giant Fossa
Image credits: romanuchytel
#22 The Modern Central American Tapir And The Extinct Eobasileus
Image credits: romanuchytel
#23 The Modern Indian Rhinoceros And The Extinct Granastrapotherium
Image credits: romanuchytel
#24 The Modern Numbat And The Extinct Tasmanian Wolf
Image credits: romanuchytel
#25 The Modern Kākāpō And The Extinct Heracles
Image credits: romanuchytel
#26 The Modern Indian Crested Porcupine And The Extinct European Large Porcupine
Image credits: romanuchytel
#27 The Modern Indian Rhinoceros And The Extinct Siberian Unicorn
Image credits: romanuchytel
#28 The Modern African Civet And The Extinct Leakey’s Giant Civet
Image credits: romanuchytel
#29 The Modern Great Grey Owl And The Extinct Cuban Giant Owl
Image credits: romanuchytel
#30 The Modern Wandering Albatross And The Extinct Pelagornis
Image credits: romanuchytel
#31 The Modern Little Eagle And The Extinct Haast’s Eagle
Image credits: romanuchytel
#32 The Modern Western Long-Beaked Echidna And The Extinct Giant Long-Beaked Echidna
Image credits: romanuchytel
#33 The Modern Marabou Stork And The Extinct Giant Marabou
Image credits: romanuchytel
#34 The Modern African Palm Civet And The Extinct Hoplophoneus
Image credits: romanuchytel
#35 The Modern Chacoan Peccary Or Tagua And The Extinct Long-Nosed Peccary
Image credits: romanuchytel
#36 The Modern Giant Forest Hog And The Extinct Notochoerus
Image credits: romanuchytel