Adams Mammoth
The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) was a species of mammoth, the common name for the extinct elephant genus Mammuthus. The appearance and behaviour of this species is the best studied of any prehistoric animal, due to the discovery of frozen and dried carcasses in Siberia and Alaska, as well as skeletons, teeth, stomach contents, and dung. The fact that they were depicted from life in cave paintings has also helped modern scientists in reconstructing their appearance.
The woolly mammoth was one of the latest in a line of mammoth species, beginning with Mammuthus subplanifrons in the early Pliocene. M. primigenius itself diverged from the steppe mammoth, M. trogontherii, about 200.000 years ago in eastern Eurasia. Genetic studies have shown that its closest extant relative is the Asian elephant.
The woolly mammoth had many adaptations to the cold climate in its environment. It was covered in fur all over the body, with an outer covering of long guard hairs, and an inner covering of shorter undercoat. Its ears and tail were short to prevent frost bite and heat loss.
It disappeared from its mainland range at the end of the Pleistocene 10,000 years ago, but an isolated population of small woolly mammoths survived on Wrangel Island until roughly 4000 years ago, and on St. Paul Island 6,400 years ago.
Read more about Adams Mammoth: Taxonomy, Description, Paleobiology, Distribution and Habitat, Relationship With Humans, Extinction, Physical Remains, Cultural Significance, Possible Resurrection
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