We have predators to thank for the human fossil record. Truly. Whether it’s the Homo erectus cracked open and collected by ancient hyenas among the caves of Zhoukoudian or the eagle eye scratches left in the iconic Taung Skull, carnivores often dragged ancient humans - perhaps literally kicking and screaming - into environments where those hominin remains came to rest. A few bite marks and cracked epiphyses are a small price to pay for knowing more about what our relatives and ancestors were doing way back when.

Sometimes we know the predators responsible. The giant, burly Pachycrocuta of Zhoukoudian were buried with their table scraps. Other times, we can only guess from damage left on bones. How fortunate, then, that paleontologist Stephanie Drumheller and colleagues just recently introduced us to the very impressive croc that would have given Lucy’s species, Australopithecus afarensis, reason to watch the water’s edge carefully.