A quick glimpse inside the new Beasts of the Cradle exhibit

The Cradle of Humankind is known for its hominid fossil remains, but our early ancestors were not the only ones to roam the Magaliesburg. This exhibit highlights some of the other creatures whose fossils have been found nearby

Predators came in all shapes and sizes, and so did their victims. Here, we see skulls of baboons and the Taung Child, an early ape-like ancestor, that all display skull damage caused by a large bird of prey

Some of the fossils on display include those of a sabre-toothed cat, a giant hyena, and the ancient ancestor of wild dogs

This jaw belongs to a distant, extinct relative of the modern day striped hyena, and lived around 3 million years ago

Small carnivores also played an important role in the ecology of the region, and probably shaped the evolution of survival strategies in our own lineage