Neanderthals pursued and hunted massive straight-tusked elephants, the largest land animals in prehistoric Europe, over distances of hundreds of miles, new fossil analysis reveals. These early humans systematically targeted these giants in a lakeshore ecosystem, operating on a larger scale than previously understood.
Fossil Evidence from German Site
Researchers examined fossils from the Neumark-Nord site in Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt region. By analyzing carbon, oxygen, strontium, and proteins in elephant remains, scientists reconstructed the animals’ migration patterns, diets, and sexes. The molars indicated that many elephants had journeyed through multiple European regions for years before arriving at the site.
Long-Distance Travel Revealed
“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 – up to 300 kilometres – before reaching what is now Neumark-Nord,” stated Federico Lugli, a lead researcher. “Thanks to isotope analyses, we can trace the movements of elephants almost as if we had a travel diary. This allows us to reconstruct their home ranges and understand how these animals used the landscape.”
This mobility suggests Neanderthals engaged in deliberate, organized hunts rather than opportunistic kills. “For this, Neanderthals must have known the landscape well, cooperated, and planned,” noted study co-author Elena Armaroli.
Hunting Strategies and Diet
The evidence points to Neanderthals butchering elephant carcasses at various European locations, confirming their role as skilled hunters of large mammals. Alongside meat, they gathered plant foods such as hazelnuts and acorns. These ancestors repeatedly exploited resources across ecosystems and likely shaped the environment through controlled fires.
Future Investigations
Ongoing research aims to clarify if Neumark-Nord served as a key gathering point for elephants from afar or as a home base for a local population that migrated seasonally.
