Inside: Exhibition Introduction & Curriculum Connections

1.  Are mammoths the ancestors of elephants?

  

No. Neither animal is the ancestor of the other. Instead, mammoths and elephants are close relatives and belong 

to the same family, Elephantidae. In Africa, about six million years ago, a branch of Elephantidae split into three 

groups: Loxodonta, the ancestors of African elephants; Elephas, the ancestors of Asian elephants; and Mammuthus, 

the earliest mammoths.

2.  Where did the first proboscideans originate? From there, where did they disperse? 

  

The first proboscideans originated in Africa. From there they migrated into Asia and Europe. The proboscideans 

that migrated into Asia then crossed over into North America on the Bering Land Bridge. Once in North America 

proboscideans spread throughout the continent and eventually into South America. 

This skeleton of an American 

mastodon shows the beast’s 

tusks have a more pronounced 

curve than those of today’s  

elephants. 

Photo by John Weinstein  

© The Field Museum

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Growing up in the Herd: The Life of a Mammoth 

What was life like for young mammoths? How were they raised and 

nurtured? Who were their family members? Scientists try to answer 

these questions by studying evidence such as fossil bones, tissue 

remains, and DNA. They also observe elephants to better understand 

the likely behaviors and lifecycles of mammoths. 

About three million years ago, mammoths extended their range 

beyond Africa by moving into Eurasia. Over time, these mammoth 

populations became isolated from one another, eventually evolving 

into new species as a result of adapting to different environments. 

Sometimes, nearly intact mammoths are found in the permafrost of 

Siberia, providing scientists with a wealth of information about their 

lives. During much of the Pleistocene, or last great Ice Age, millions 

of woolly mammoths roamed the Earth. Because many of these 

animals lived and died in cold, dry regions, their remains are often 

well preserved, giving scientists much to study. 

Lyuba is the most complete and well-preserved mammoth specimen 

ever found—and the most studied. This female woolly mammoth died in Siberia about 42,000 years ago. She 

was about one month old at the time of her death. By studying her DNA, bones, stomach contents, internal 

organs, teeth and tusks, as well as the area where she was found, Lyuba provides scientists with valuable 

information about a population of mammoths for which few samples exist.

Guiding Questions: