Mammothivory

Mammothivory refers to the practice of consuming mammoths, either by prehistoric humans or other predators. Archaeological evidence, such as mammoth bones found with cut marks and associated tools, indicates that early humans hunted and butchaged mammoths for food, hides, and other resources. These large herbivores were a significant source of sustenance for Paleolithic peoples, particularly during the Pleistocene epoch.

The diet of mammoths primarily consisted of grasses, sedges, and other vegetation. Their sheer size and the challenges associated with hunting them would have required considerable skill, cooperation, and specialized tools from their predators. Evidence suggests that humans not only scavenged mammoth carcasses but also actively hunted them, using strategies that likely involved trapping or driving them into disadvantageous terrain.

While humans are the most well-documented mammoth consumers, it is possible that other large predators of the time, such as saber-toothed cats or cave lions, also preyed on mammoths, especially younger or weaker individuals. However, direct evidence for such predation is less abundant compared to the clear signs of human interaction. The disappearance of mammoths, and the subsequent cessation of mammothivory, is linked to a combination of climate change and human hunting pressures.