Fauna
Mammal

Eurasian Straight-tusked Elephant

Palaeoloxodon antiquus

Also known as Straight-tusked Elephant, Ancient Elephant

Eurasian straight-tusked elephants were colossal megaherbivores that shaped the Pleistocene woodlands of Europe and western Asia, using their enormous stature and long, gentle-curving tusks to break branches and strip bark. Family units consisted of matriarchs and young, while solitary bulls roamed broadly across warm interglacial landscapes. Archaeological evidence reveals that early hominins, including Neanderthals, systematically hunted and scavenged these massive creatures at lakeside margins and boggy valleys.

PrehistoricMegaherbivore
Eurasian Straight-tusked Elephant reference
(c) Thomas Quine, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyOak and Hazel Foliage, Tree Bark and Twigs, Temperate Grasses
Predators
  • Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis)
  • Heidelberg Human (Homo heidelbergensis)
  • Cave Hyena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea)
ThreatsGlacial cooling cycles, loss of temperate woodland habitat, and human hunting pressure
HabitatsTemperate broadleaf forests, Mediterranean woodlands, and river valleys
Life span60–70 years
Classification
  1. FamilyElephantidae
  2. SpeciesPalaeoloxodon antiquus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Extinct species known only from Pleistocene fossil remains.
Responsible observation
  • Fossil Etiquette: Leave discovered bones or tusk fragments in situ and alert local paleontological authorities.
  • Museum Viewing: Examine skeletal mounts at natural history museums to study their massive skull crests and tusks.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…