Details
Mammuthus primigenius
Woolly mammoth is a mammal associated with grasslands and polar habitats. It is herbivorous and herd-forming. It is extinct, so its ecology is reconstructed from fossils and specimens.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Its range is represented here by the Palearctic and the Nearctic, where it uses grasslands and polar habitats. Mobile species may shift habitat use with season, breeding sites, or food availability.
Typical height 270-340 cm, weight 4 t-8 t. It has an elephant-like body plan, with proportions shaped by its habitat and mode of movement.
It is mostly active by day and herd-forming. Spacing, group size, and visibility can change with season, feeding conditions, and breeding activity.
It is herbivorous. Food choice and foraging style are tied to life in grasslands and polar habitats, so movements often follow available food resources.
Breeding cannot be observed directly; life history is inferred from fossils and comparison with close relatives.
Recorded scientifically as Mammuthus primigenius. It is extinct, so its ecology is reconstructed from fossils and specimens. In this guide, size, habitat, and activity pattern are useful first clues for recognition.
