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Mammoth – Mammuthus primigenius Blumenbach
Section:
- Natural Sciences›Geology
This mammoth tooth was found in the alluvium of the river Sava near Gradiška. It belongs to the species Mammuthus primigenius, known as the woolly mammoth. These animals were enormous (up to 3.5 metres tall), and with their big tusks and long, thick fur, they have come to represent the Ice Age in human imagination. They inhabited large swathes of Europe, Asia, and North America. They disappeared due to climate change towards the end of the Pleistocene, 12,000 to 10,000 years ago. They belong to the large order of Proboscidea (trunked mammals), whose development began in Africa during the Eocene Epoch. The only surviving members of the order are the African and Indian elephants.
Findspot:
Availability
The mammoth tooth is part of the palaeontology Vertebrates collection. It is kept in storage in the Geology Section of the Natural Sciences Department, where it may be accessed by prior arrangement with department staff.
