# What Kind Of Extinct Animal Would You Want To Be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536 "2011-04-24T04:23:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/1 "2011-04-24T04:23:02Z")
I’d like to be an [Ichthyosaur](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthyosaur) Can you imagine it? You’d be all like swimming in the ocean and having a good time and people would be like, “Look at the fish.” But all the time you’d be winking to yourself that “I’m not a fish.” The joke would be on them. Then some scientist would come up and recognize you and he’d run back and tell his geeky friends, but you’d simply swim away, knowing that the other scientists would say that ichthyosaurs were extinct and from that day on everyone would think he’s crazy. 🙂 So what kind of extinct animal would you be? ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/2 "2011-04-24T04:37:30Z")
The quagga, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/3 "2011-04-24T05:28:54Z")
A saber toothed tiger. A preditor who was so good at it that it went extict.:eek: yes, my idiot cat is helping me with this post, please forgibve the typos. ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/4 "2011-04-24T05:33:45Z")
A pterosaur. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/5 "2011-04-24T06:42:32Z")
Dragon. Definitely dragon. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/6 "2011-04-24T07:46:15Z")
Shoggoth! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/7 "2011-04-24T12:12:11Z")
The _Rational American Political Leader_. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/8 "2011-04-24T12:20:30Z")
A 300 baud modem. Hear my connecting cry and tremble! ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/9 "2011-04-24T15:34:41Z")
Can there be any answer other than a T Rex? Running around with your teeny arms and giant head, striking fear into everyone around you. Munching on their bodies, screaming so loudly that everyone else cowers in terror. That’s the life for me! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/10 "2011-04-24T18:46:21Z")
The Ivory Billed Woodpecker. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/11 "2011-04-24T19:52:34Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Can there be any answer other than a T Rex? Running around with your teeny arms and giant head, striking fear into everyone around you. Munching on their bodies, screaming so loudly that everyone else cowers in terror. That’s the life for me! 🙂 If you watch Jurassic Park backwards, it’s about some kids freeing a velociraptor trapped in a freezer, later the kids and scientists are chasing a moonwalking T-Rex in a jeep going in reverse. T-Rex is so traumatized by the experience she runs to the toilet and throws up a lawyer. Me, I’d be an Argentavis. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/12 "2011-04-24T21:06:14Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > The Ivory Billed Woodpecker. But all the ivory hunters would extinct you again in no time flat 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/13 "2011-04-24T21:17:34Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > T-Rex is so traumatized by the experience she runs to the toilet and **throws up a lawyer** Yeah but can you blame her? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/14 "2011-04-25T00:37:37Z")
Neanderthal. Maybe I could use that muscly and bone-dense frame to make a fortune as a pro athlete. It’d be hilarious if it turned out I was perfectly suited for tennis or golf. I think I could blend in more or less. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/15 "2011-04-25T01:03:10Z")
An ankylosaurus. The most badass of all the dinosaurs. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/16 "2011-04-25T03:08:47Z")
Megalodon. Everything in the ocean is MINE. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/17 "2011-04-25T03:12:44Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > Megalodon. Everything in the ocean is MINE. Yeah see, that’s why I’d never be anything in the ocean, giant ocean monsters are terrifying! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/18 "2011-04-25T05:39:22Z")
The megatherium. Besides the simple joys of being a giant sloth, they’re also thought to have been bad-ass enough to find kills made by saber-toothed cats and chase the cats away so they could get some free protein. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Pliocene era carnivores! ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/19 "2011-04-25T14:05:28Z")
_Homo sapiens._ They’re not extinct yet? They should be. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-extinct-animal-would-you-want-to-be/579536/20 "2011-04-25T21:50:34Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Yeah see, that’s why I’d never be anything in the ocean, giant ocean monsters are terrifying! :eek: Can’t beat’em, join’em 😃 or hit’em in the 'nads and run/swim like hell.