The woolly rhinoceros, which roamed northern Eurasia for millions of years, is one of the most iconic extinct megafauna. The formidable thick-skinned, long-furred beast occupied the mammoth steppe, a cold-dry grassland biome that existed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM).
However, roughly 10,000 years ago the woolly rhinoceros vanished. Scientists have been able to identify mummified carcasses of these animals, along with bone fragments, and several human cave paintings in Europe and Asia feature the woolly rhinoceros.
The Factors of the Woolly Rhino's Extinction
Up until now, scientists weren't sure what role human beings played in the eventual demise of the woolly rhino. However, new research has shed light on the factors that likely led to the gigantic herbivore's extinction.
