Mammoth vs. Elephant: Same Family, Different Species

It’s the ultimate throwback face-off: mammoth vs. elephant. These two giants share a lot of DNA, but their differences are buried in the fossil record and written across their anatomy. One is an extinct species, the other still roams Earth’s forests and savannas.

Both mammoths and elephants belong to the order Proboscidea, making them close cousins. But from woolly mammoth to asian elephant, they tell two very different evolutionary tales.

Mammoth Origins and Evolution

Mammoths evolved in the Pliocene and flourished during the Pleistocene epoch, a chilly chapter in Earth’s history often called the last ice age. The genus Mammuthus included several mammoth species like the steppe mammoth, Columbian mammoth and pygmy mammoth.

Most famous was the woolly mammoth, covered in thick fur and built for cold environments. These massive large mammals had longer tusks and small ears, perfect for preserving heat. Woolly mammoths roamed across Europe, Asia and North America.

Scientists estimate the last mammoths died out around 4,000 years ago on Wrangel Island, during the Holocene epoch. They disappeared as the warming climate melted ice sheets and early humans expanded their hunting territories.

Modern Elephants Still Roaming Earth

Unlike their ancient cousins, modern elephants are very much alive today. There are three species: the African savanna elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant.

African and Asian elephants differ in size, ear shape and tusk length. Modern African elephants are the largest land mammal on Earth, with some males reaching 4 meters (13 feet) in shoulder height.

Elephants belong to the family Elephantidae, like mammoths, but they’ve adapted to modern ecosystems. The African savanna and Asian jungles are their homes, though habitat loss and poaching have placed them on the endangered list.

These large herbivores play a key role in their environments by spreading seeds and shaping landscapes.

Key Differences Between Mammoths and Elephants

Feature	Mammoth	Elephant
Habitat	Thrived in cold weather	Prefer warm climates
Body	Thick fur, small ears	Bare skin, large ears
Tusks	Curved and often longer	Straighter and shorter
Status	Extinct	Endangered species
Diet	Large herbivore: grass, shrubs, trees	Large herbivore: grass, shrubs, trees

De-extinction and Scientific Interest

The elephant vs. mammoth debate isn’t just academic. Harvard geneticist George Church has led de-extinction research aiming to bring back traits of the woolly mammoth using modern day elephants. The idea is to create a hybrid that could help fight global warming by restoring the Arctic steppe.

While critics raise ethical questions, the Proceedings of the Royal Society B has published research demonstrating that ancient DNA can survive long enough to potentially enable de-extinction. Whether that will work or not, conservation efforts for today's elephants remain critical.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.