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Incredibly well-preserved traces of prehistoric baby elephants have revealed a crucial ancient stomping ground for one of the largest animals to walk the Earth’s surface since dinosaurs.
On a beach in what is now southwestern Spain, archaeologists have identified 34 sets of footprints belonging to the straight-tusked elephant (Paleoloxodon).
These enormous land animals are long gone, but they once roamed Western Europe during the Late Pleistocene, over 30,000 years ago. Measuring up to 4.5 meters (15 feet), they are said to have towered over modern African elephants. They may even have been as big as the huge prehistoric rhinos that crossed Eurasia millions of years ago.
Ancient traces of prehistoric elephants have already been found in Europe, but they rarely include individuals as young as those depicted in this new find, found in what is known as the trampled surface of Matalascañas.
Using the length of each elephant trail to estimate its height and weight, the team found that some of the younger individuals were no more than two months old when they left their mark on the world.
The footprint of an elephant calf in Matalacañas. (Neto de Carvalho et al., Scientific reports, 2021)
In total, the herd appears to have consisted of at least three elephant mothers (over 15 years old) and 14 newborn and adolescent calves.
Only two particularly wide tracks could be definitively linked to adult bulls, measuring over 3.25 meters tall and weighing around 7 tonnes, suggesting that the site was primarily used for breeding by matriarchal groups.
Today this ancient elephant nursery is nothing more than a beach, but thousands of years ago researchers believe the dunes would have been home to the occasional pond, surrounded by vegetation, which would have been an important source of food and fresh water – and not just for elephants.
Many other animals have left their footprints in the clay here as well, including dozens of Neanderthals, old and young, alone or in groups.
Traces of Neanderthals. (Oak’s grandson et al., Scientific reports, 2021)
In fact, researchers say the dates of the fossilized footprints of Neanderthals and elephants at this site overlapped over a short period of time, suggesting humans were there for more than just a drink.
Instead, the study authors suspect that Neanderthals frequent this site for hunting or disposal – not for the larger elephants, which would likely have been too risky, but for the weakened or dead individuals in the herd. They might even have waited for a mother elephant to start labor before attacking.
Like modern elephants, herds of straight-tusked elephants appear to have been led by females, and their groups tended to stay closer to the water, as their young needed to drink more and could not move on. great distances as easily as their elders.
Artist’s impression of a mother and a baby elephant with straight tusks. (J. Galan)
The first humans may have understood this and waited their moment to strike. Two of the tracks found actually give the impression that an older elephant was slowing its pace to protect a younger one next to it.
“Elephants are relatively easy to locate due to their reliance on water resources, reported use of familiar paths, and the clear trails they leave behind,” write the authors.
“There is growing evidence that proboscideans [elephants], and especially young individuals, played a major role in Neanderthal diet and adaptation. “
Direct evidence of the first humans hunting prehistoric elephants is scarce, but the huge carcasses of these land mammals have been found slaughtered near human tools at some archaeological sites.
The results of the new study support the hypothesis that even the largest land animals were once game for early humans, regardless of their size or strength.
The study was published in Scientific reports.
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