The "ice age" isn't a single animal, but when people think of animals from the Pleistocene ice age, the Woolly Mammoth is a prominent example.
Woolly Mammoth: An Ice Age Icon
According to the reference, the Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) is often seen as the embodiment of arctic wildlife during the Pleistocene ice age. It was so important that scientists even named the grassland ecosystem where they lived the "Mammoth Steppe."
Other Ice Age Animals
While the woolly mammoth is iconic, many other animals existed during the ice age, including:
- Saber-toothed cats: These fearsome predators roamed North and South America.
- Giant ground sloths: These massive herbivores were much larger than modern sloths.
- Dire wolves: These wolves were larger and more robust than modern gray wolves.
Therefore, the woolly mammoth exemplifies animal life during the Ice Age and helps shape understanding of these ancient ecosystems.
