Interesting facts about mammoths Is a great opportunity to learn more about extinct animals. Once they lived on our planet for a long time, however, none of their representatives have survived to this day. However, skeletons and stuffed animals of these giant animals can be seen in many museums.
So, here are the most interesting facts about mammoths.
- Archaeological finds indicate that mammoths reached a height of over 5 m, with a weight of 14-15 tons.
- All over the world, mammoths became extinct more than 7 thousand years ago, but their dwarf subspecies existed on the Russian Wrangel Island about 4000 years ago.
- Curiously, mammoths were twice as large as African elephants (see interesting facts about elephants), which are considered the largest unearthly animals today.
- In Siberia and Alaska, there are frequent cases of finding the corpses of mammoths, preserved in excellent condition due to being in the permafrost.
- Scientists claim that mammoths are transformed Asian elephants.
- Unlike an elephant, the mammoth had smaller legs, smaller ears, and long hair that allowed it to survive in harsh conditions.
- An interesting fact is that since the time the dinosaurs became extinct, it was mammoths that were the largest creatures on earth.
- Our ancient ancestors hunted mammoths not only for meat, but also for skins and bones.
- When hunting for mammoths, people dug deep pit traps, neatly covered with branches and leaves. When the animal was in the hole, it could no longer get out.
- Did you know that the mammoth had a hump on its back, in which fat accumulated? Thanks to this, mammals managed to survive the hungry times.
- The Russian word "mammoth" has found its way into many European languages, including English.
- Mammoths possessed two powerful tusks, reaching a length of 4 m.
- During life, the change of teeth (see interesting facts about teeth) in mammals took place up to 6 times.
- Today, various jewelry, boxes, combs, figurines and other products are legally made from mammoth tusks.
- In 2019, the extraction and export of mammoth remains in Yakutia was estimated at 2 to 4 billion rubles.
- Experts suggest that the warm wool and fat reserves allowed the mammoth to survive at temperatures of -50 ⁰С.
- In the northern regions of our planet, where there is permafrost, archaeologists still find mammoths. Thanks to the low temperatures, animal remains are kept in excellent condition.
- In scientific documents dating from the 18-19 centuries, there are records that say that the dogs of the researchers repeatedly ate the meat and bones of mammoths.
- When mammoths did not have enough food, they began to consume the bark of trees.
- Ancient people depicted mammoths on the rocks more often than any other animals.
- An interesting fact is that the weight of one mammoth tusk reached 100 kg.
- It is believed that mammoths ate 2 times less food than modern elephants.
- Mammoth tusk is more durable than elephant tusk.
- Scientists are currently working to restore the mammoth population. At the moment, active studies of animal DNA are underway.
- Life-size monuments to the mammoth have been erected in Magadan and Salekhard.
- Mammoths are not solitary animals. It is believed that they lived in small groups of 5-15 individuals.
- Mastodons also died out at about the same time as mammoths. They also had tusks and a trunk, but they were much smaller.
