Elasmotherium | 3D Dinopedia

Elasmotherium

Period of life:

7–0.039 mya

Period:

Quaternary period

Habitat:

Steppes

Taxonomy:

Mammals

Height:

2.5 m

Countries:

Quaternary period Elasmotherium | 3D Dinopedia

Elasmotherium (7–0.039 mya)

Elasmotherium is a large herbivorous rhinoceros, inhabited steppes near the swamps and rivers of Eurasian continent. These rhinoceroses coexisted with Neanderthals and early humans and could be preyed respectively. They lived during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. Elasmotherium weighed 5 tonnes reached 5 metres in length and 2.5 metres in height. It had the thick 1.5 metres horn on its forehead. This rhinoceros is probably considered to be a mythological unicorn prototype.

Elasmotherium dug the ground with its wedge shaped muzzle to sneak for roots, bulbs and tubers. Elasmotherium diet also included bulrush and reed grasses grown in wet lands because steppe had no sufficient feed. By the way, scientists assume the Elasmotherium horn caused the genus extinction. It was too heavy and the animal head bended down. Therefore, it could only reach low-lying plants. Cooling trend caused the grass disappearing and Elasmotherium lost its fodder resource. However, this is just a hypothesis.

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