Neanderthals were fearless hunters. Studies have shown that they hunted these giant animals
A new study has found that Neanderthals hunted a species of elephant, which was the largest land mammal of the Pleistocene. Scientists say they fared well when confronted with the giant creatures because they formed larger hunting groups than previously thought.
Palaeoloxodon antiquus is an extinct species of elephant that was up to three times the size of its modern relatives in the order Trumpetidae. Males reached heights of up to 4 meters and weighed more than 10–12 tons. During the Pleistocene, they were Europe’s largest land mammals. The last individuals probably became extinct about 33–34 thousand years ago.
Neanderthals hunted giant elephants during the Pleistocene period
Until now, scientists have been unsure whether these animals became extinct due to interactions with humans, or whether their disappearance was caused by climate change. It is known that Palaeoloxodon antiquus retreated to southern Europe during glacial periods, while they migrated north during interglacial periods. Moreover, these mammals survived longest on the Iberian Peninsula.
