Ancient Unicorn Rhino May Have Lived Alongside Humans

An extinct species of rhinoceros with a single, horn-like structure on its forehead may have coexisted with early humans.

The discovery of a fossilized skull of the Elasmotherium sibiricum, also known as the "unicorn rhino," in Kazakhstan suggests that the animal roamed the steppes alongside our ancestors around 29,000 years ago.

The discovery, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, sheds new light on the diversity and range of megafauna that inhabited the region during the Pleistocene epoch. The unicorn rhino, which weighed up to four tons and stood over six feet tall at the shoulder, is believed to have been a herbivore that fed on grasses and shrubs.

The presence of the unicorn rhino in Kazakhstan during this period is significant because it shows that the animal was able to adapt to a variety of habitats, from open grasslands to forested areas. This adaptability may have helped the unicorn rhino to survive in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges.

The discovery of the unicorn rhino skull also raises questions about the relationship between humans and megafauna during the Pleistocene. It is possible that early humans hunted the unicorn rhino for food or used its horns as tools. However, it is also possible that the two species coexisted peacefully, with the unicorn rhino playing a role in the ecosystem as a seed disperser or a prey species for other predators.

Further research is needed to determine the exact relationship between the unicorn rhino and early humans. However, the discovery of the fossilized skull is a reminder that the Pleistocene epoch was a time of great environmental and ecological change, and that the interactions between humans and megafauna were complex and varied.