Unlike the ferocious dinosaurs, woolly mammoths lived at the same time as Homo Sapiens ”“ sometimes ending up on the other end of the food chain. While they had certain characteristics that protected them from the elements of cold, they were still prey to others. In this article, you will learn more about mammoths, such as information regarding their extinction.
On the Menu for Homo Sapiens
Although the woolly mammoth was a rather huge creature, they were still hunted by early humans, who were interested in using their pelts as a way to keep warm. The creature also provided a decent source of meat for early man. In order to take down a beast so large, researchers believe that Homo sapiens needed to exercise patience and cooperate with one another. These kinds of acts are used to highlight advancements in human civilization.
The Extinction of the Woolly Mammoths
The last time a woolly mammoth roamed about the Earth was about 4,000 years ago, which was by the end of the last Ice Age. The change in climate around the world and the increase of human predators caused the extinction of all the mammoths in the world. At one time, there was a small population of woolly mammoths that resided until 1700 BC on Wrangel Island ”“ just off the coast of Siberia. The creatures were able to live with limited resources for a bit of time. The Wrangel Island Mammoths were much smaller in size to their earlier relatives.
Furry and Fat
In addition to the thick coat of fur that a woolly mammoth was born with, they were also padded with four inches of solid fat situated just underneath their skin. This added layer of fat provided their body with insulation that kept them warm.
Comparing Mammoths to Mastodons
Mastodons belonged to the same order as the mammoths, but there were differences in the way they were shaped and lived. The mastodon evolved at an earlier point in time and lasted longer than the mammoth in regards to the geologic time scale. The mammoths had longer tusks than the mastodons. They had a wider head with flat teeth that chewed their food, and a sloping back. The mammoths were mostly taller than the mastodons.
Mastodon fossils were quite common in Florida, and found more often than mammoth remains. Their body has a heavier build than the elephant with a low sloping head and neck. They called the warmer lowlands and Ice Age spruce forests their home.
Valuable Ivory
Just like elephants, the ivory from the tusks of a mammoth are still collected in Siberia, and considered an impressive item to add to a collection.