Balucatherium lived during the Oligocene
and early Miocene. During this time there were many species of Perissodactyls. After
the cold Oligocene the earth went through a time of warmer global climate changes. Two major ecosystems
that first appeared during this time were the kelp forests and the grasslands.
(Right: The Oligocene and Miocene can be seen on this chart of the Cenozoic)
Expansion of grasslands is correlated to a drying of continental interiors, as the global climate
first warmed and then cooled. Grasslands, such as these, would have been beneficial to the Perissodactyls
because they feed strictly on plants. (Left: What a typical grassland looks like today. The grass
lands in Balucatherium's time most likely appeared the same.)
