Woolly Mammoth
The Woolly Mammoth a species of mammoth, known for having the most visible hair of them and well adapted to cold environments.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The woolly mammoth is well adapted to the cold environment since the last ice age. They are covered in fur, with an outer covering of long guard hairs and a shorter undercoat. The color of their coat varies from dark to light. The ears and tail are short to minimize frostbite and heat loss.
They have long, curved tusks and four molars, which are replaced six times during the lifetime of an individual. Their behavior was similar to that of elephants, and use their tusks and trunk for manipulating objects, fighting, and foraging.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Woolly mammoths sustain themselves on plant food, mainly grasses and sedges, which are supplemented with herbaceous plants, flowering plants, shrubs, mosses, and tree matter. The composition and exact varieties differ from location to location.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Woolly mammoths are very social and live in matriarchal (female-led) family groups. Mammoths form large herds more often than elephants, since animals that live in open areas are more likely to do this than those in forested areas.
Scientific Name
Mammuthus primigenius
Lifespan
60 years
Average Height
2.6 to 3.4 m (8.5 to 11.2 ft)
Average Weight
4 to 6 metric tons (4.4 to 6.6 short tons)
Geographic Distribution
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