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Description
The Megatapirids, a particularly successful ungulate family and only living relatives of the false bears. Highly adaptable mammalian giants, the megatapirids fill niches similar to those of the proboscideans, which never evolved in this world.Through convergent evolution, they developed from small tapir-like beasts wallowing in the swamps of oligocene north america to giant mastadon-like beasts crossing the bering land bridge before the ice age. Pictured here is a southern asian variety, keeping the curved, snow-brushing tusks of it's sub-glacial ancestors, but shedding it's great coat in the three million year journey south.

Though there are several superficial similarities between proboscideans and megatapirids, there are significant differences, as well. Megatapirids sport much longer, more flexible necks, and much smaller, less dextrous trunks as compared to proboscideans, resulting in a body-plan and posture much closer to that of a modern-day rhino then an elephant.

Edit: The esteemed Chimpeetah has done a coloured version here [link] - check it out.

Description
The Megatapirids, a particularly successful ungulate family and only living relatives of the false bears. Highly adaptable mammalian giants, the megatapirids fill niches similar to those of the proboscideans, which never evolved in this world.Through convergent evolution, they developed from small tapir-like beasts wallowing in the swamps of oligocene north america to giant mastadon-like beasts crossing the bering land bridge before the ice age. Pictured here is a southern asian variety, keeping the curved, snow-brushing tusks of it's sub-glacial ancestors, but shedding it's great coat in the three million year journey south.

Though there are several superficial similarities between proboscideans and megatapirids, there are significant differences, as well. Megatapirids sport much longer, more flexible necks, and much smaller, less dextrous trunks as compared to proboscideans, resulting in a body-plan and posture much closer to that of a modern-day rhino then an elephant.

Edit: The esteemed Chimpeetah has done a coloured version here [link] - check it out.