aurochs
Sign in to saveThe aurochs (Bos primigenius; or ; pl.: aurochs or aurochsen; also ure or urus) is an extinct species of bovine, considered to be the wild ancestor of modern domestic cattle. With a shoulder height of up to in bulls and in cows, it was one of the largest herbivores in the Holocene; it had massive elongated and broad horns that reached in length.
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The aurochs was a massive extinct wild cattle species that is believed to be the ancestor of modern domestic cattle, characterized by its enormous size and distinctively large, broad horns. It matters because understanding this species helps us understand the origins of one of humanity's most important domesticated animals and the biodiversity that existed in recent human history.
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Article
22 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomy and evolution
- Subspecies
- Evolution
- Description
- Coat colour{{anchor|Coat colour}}
- Body shape
- Size
- Horns
- Genetics
- Distribution and habitat
- Behaviour and ecology
- Relationship with humans
- In Asia
- In Africa
- In Europe
- Domestication
- Extinction
- Breeding of aurochs-like cattle
- See also
- References
- External links
The aurochs (Bos primigenius; or ; pl.: aurochs or aurochsen; also ure or urus) is an extinct species of bovine, considered to be the wild ancestor of modern domestic cattle. With a shoulder height of up to in bulls and in cows, it was one of the largest herbivores in the Holocene; it had massive elongated and broad horns that reached in length.
The aurochs was part of the Pleistocene megafauna. It probably evolved in Asia and migrated west and north during warm interglacial periods. The oldest-known aurochs fossils date to the Middle Pleistocene. The species had an expansive range spanning from Western Europe and North Africa to the Indian subcontinent and East Asia. The distribution of the aurochs progressively contracted during the Holocene due to habitat loss and hunting. The last known fossil remains were found in Bulgaria that date to the late 17th or early 18th century.