![]() The woolly mammoth was an herbivore whose diet mainly consisted of grasses and sedges. Small milk tusks appeared around the age of 6 months and were replaced by permanent tusks about a year later. The calves were nursed for at least 3 years and weaned gradually. A newborn woolly mammoth weighed around 90 kg (200 lb.). It is likely that females probably gave birth to a single calf during spring or summer after a long gestation period of 21 to 22 months. There is evidence that male woolly mammoths (like elephant bulls) experienced ‘musth’ – a condition in which reproductive hormones peak and there is an associated increase in aggressive behavior. The mating season is likely to have occurred during summer or autumn. Woolly Mammoth Life CycleĪlthough little is known for sure about woolly mammoth reproduction, it was probably very similar to that of modern elephants. It’s likely that the trunk was used by the woolly mammoth in social interactions as well as to manipulate objects. The mammoth is believed to have used its tusks to fight, to defend itself from predators, and to forage. ![]() It is likely that females lived in family groups with their young, while males either lived alone or formed small ‘bachelor’ groups. ![]() Like modern elephants, the woolly mammoth appears to have been social. Behavior Female woolly mammoths may have lived in herds. The mammoth steppe resembled the grassy steppes found in Russia today, but with a greater diversity and abundance of plant species. This expanse of frozen land covered parts of Northern Asia, Europe and North America during the last Ice Age. The woolly mammoth was mostly found in a habitat today known as ‘the mammoth steppe’ or ‘tundra steppe’. It’s believed that there were two distinct groups (possibly sub-species) of woolly mammoth, with one being found only in the middle of the High Arctic. The southernmost woolly mammoth specimen was discovered in the Shandong province of China. mi), and covered large parts of Asia, Europe and North America. The total distribution area has been estimated to have been roughly 33,300,000 km 2 (12,850,000 sq. The woolly mammoth was the most widely distributed large mammal during the last Ice Age. Females were smaller and lighter than the males and had shorter tusks. The tusks of the woolly mammoth were very long and curved inwards – in some individuals the tips crossed. Other cold-weather adaptations include a thick skin with numerous oil-secreting glands, and a layer of fat that was up to 10 cm (3.9 in) thick. The dense undercoat consisted of shorter, slightly curled hair. The coat’s coarse ‘guard hairs’ (the long, outer hairs) could be as long as 90 cm (35 in) on the animal’s flanks and abdomen. The coat of the woolly mammoth covered its entire body and ranged from dark brown to light brown in color. In cave paintings, the woolly mammoth is depicted with a high, domed head, a single hump over the shoulders and a sloping back. However, its skull was narrower, and it had smaller ears and a shorter tail than the living species. The woolly mammoth was a similar size to the modern African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana). What Did The Woolly Mammoth Look Like? Artist’s impression of what woolly mammoths may have looked like. The closest extant (living) relative of the woolly mammoth is the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus). The woolly mammoth was alive during the Ice Age, and has a number of adaptations – including the thick coat which gives the species its name – for living in the cold. Although not the largest species of mammoth, it was the most widespread and the last one to become extinct. The woolly mammoth was a large herbivore that lived during the Pleistocene and early Holocene epochs of the Quaternary Period. Meet The Woolly Mammoth: Introduction Woolly mammoths were alive as recently as 4,000 years ago. View a selection of awesome dinosaur books: Dinosaur Book Selection.Find out about life on Earth during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods.It’s therefore possible to tell an individual’s age from the growth rings of its tusks – just like a tree!įind out more about prehistoric animals with Active Wild The tusks of the woolly mammoth continued to grow throughout its life.The last woolly mammoths were still alive while the Great Pyramid was being built.Weight Male: Up to 6,000 kg (6.6 tons) Female: up to 4,000 kg (4.4 tons).Time period: Pleistocene to Early Holocene: 150,000 to 4,000 years ago.Fossils Found: Asia, Europe and North America.Discover one of the best-known Ice Age animals… Woolly Mammoth Facts At A Glance Woolly mammoth facts, pictures & in-depth information for kids and adults.
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