Neanderthals hunted giant straight-tusked elephants and pursued them over hundreds of miles across Europe, according to a new study of fossils unearthed in Germany. The research, published in the journal Science Advances, reveals that these human ancestors systematically targeted the largest land animals in Europe at the time.
Analysis of elephant molars from the Neumark-Nord fossil site in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, showed that the animals travelled up to 300 kilometres before reaching the area. By studying isotopes of carbon, oxygen, strontium and proteins, researchers reconstructed the migration behaviour, diet and sex of dozens of prehistoric giant elephants.
“Some of the elephants we studied were animals that did not stay in just one area. Their teeth show that they travelled very long distances,” said Federico Lugli, an author of the study. This suggests that Neanderthals did not kill the beasts merely by chance but organised hunts that deliberately targeted enormous prey.
“For this, Neanderthals must have known the landscape well, cooperated, and planned,” said co-author Elena Armaroli. The study also found that Neanderthals consumed plant foods like hazelnuts and acorns alongside meat, and likely modified the landscape using fire.
Researchers hope to determine whether Neumark was a point of attraction for elephants from different regions or the homeland of a population that left the area for a time. The findings paint a picture of Neanderthals as active hunters and gatherers operating within a rich lakeshore ecosystem.
