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Description
Strolling through the steppe, a woolly rhinoceros encounters two marmots.

The woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) was a rhinoceros species perfectly adapted to the cold climate of the Pleistocene, a geological epoch often referred to as the 'Ice Age'. It lived in Eurasia and belonged to the same family as modern rhinos, but had a long thick coat of hair protecting it from the cold. Compared to its relatives, its stature was a little more elongated and it had shorter legs. At its shoulders, the neural spines were long and supported a hump which contained fat and strong neck muscles to support the low-lying head. Its massive first horn could reach a length of 1.35 m and was used for combat against predators and other woolly rhinos, but also helped to shovel snow to the side in the winter to get to the vegetation below.
We actually know a lot about its appearance and lifestyle due to well-preserved frozen specimen found in the permafrost. The woolly rhino is also featured in cave art, one which depicts two specimen fighting each other, others depicting humans hunting them. Like many 'ice age' megafauna, it went extinct only a few thousand years ago.

Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) are actually classical 'ice age' animals, perfectly adapted to cold climate and digging its burrows in rocky soil. While widespread during the Pleistocene, today they mostly live in regions somewhat resembling their former habitats, namely high-altitude regions like the European Alps. So if you see any of these while hiking, think about the time they shared their life with other fascinating animals like the woolly rhinoceros.

Digital Painting by 'Paleo Pete' Peter Nickolaus, 2023. E-Mail: contact.paleopete@gmail.com

Description
Strolling through the steppe, a woolly rhinoceros encounters two marmots.

The woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) was a rhinoceros species perfectly adapted to the cold climate of the Pleistocene, a geological epoch often referred to as the 'Ice Age'. It lived in Eurasia and belonged to the same family as modern rhinos, but had a long thick coat of hair protecting it from the cold. Compared to its relatives, its stature was a little more elongated and it had shorter legs. At its shoulders, the neural spines were long and supported a hump which contained fat and strong neck muscles to support the low-lying head. Its massive first horn could reach a length of 1.35 m and was used for combat against predators and other woolly rhinos, but also helped to shovel snow to the side in the winter to get to the vegetation below.
We actually know a lot about its appearance and lifestyle due to well-preserved frozen specimen found in the permafrost. The woolly rhino is also featured in cave art, one which depicts two specimen fighting each other, others depicting humans hunting them. Like many 'ice age' megafauna, it went extinct only a few thousand years ago.

Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) are actually classical 'ice age' animals, perfectly adapted to cold climate and digging its burrows in rocky soil. While widespread during the Pleistocene, today they mostly live in regions somewhat resembling their former habitats, namely high-altitude regions like the European Alps. So if you see any of these while hiking, think about the time they shared their life with other fascinating animals like the woolly rhinoceros.

Digital Painting by 'Paleo Pete' Peter Nickolaus, 2023. E-Mail: contact.paleopete@gmail.com