Aurochs

The Aurochs or rarely aurochsen, aurochses, also urus, ure (Bos primigenius), is an extinct type of large wild cattle that inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa.

It is the ancestor of domestic cattle. The species survived in Europe until the last recorded aurochs died in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland in 1627.

Three wild subspecies of aurochs are recognized. Only the Eurasian subspecies survived until recent times.

They are also extensively depicted in ancient cave arts.

During the Neolithic Revolution, which occurred during the early Holocene, there were at least two aurochs domestication events: one related to the Indian subspecies, leading to zebu cattle; the other one related to the Eurasian subspecies, leading to taurine cattle.

The Eurasian aurochs (Bos primigenius primigenius) once ranged across the steppes and taigas of Europe, Siberia, and Central Asia, and East Asia and were still widespread in Europe during the time of the Roman Empire, when they were widely popular as a battle beast in Roman arenas.

Excessive hunting began and the aurochs were not saved from extinction, and the last recorded live aurochs, a female, died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland from natural causes.