Woolly Rhinoceros

ice-age · extinct · megafauna · prehistoric

Shaggy Ice Age Giant. The woolly rhinoceros was as big as today's white rhinoceros, but covered head to toe in long, thick hair that kept it warm in the freezing mammoth steppe. This incredible fur made it one of the toughest animals of its time.

Perfectly Adapted. Its massive hump on the shoulders helped it survive the bitterly cold northern regions of Europe and Asia. The thick coat and stocky body were like built-in winter gear.

Grazing on the Steppe. Instead of eating trees, woolly rhinos munched on the low herbaceous plants and grasses that grew on the freezing, windswept mammoth steppe landscape.

Hunted by Ancient Humans. Early humans drew pictures of woolly rhinos in cave paintings across Europe and Asia, and evidence shows that people actually hunted these giant animals for food.

Perfectly Preserved. Many woolly rhino bodies got frozen in permafrost (permanently frozen ground), where they stayed mummified for thousands of years and were discovered by scientists.