The mammoth is an Ice Age proboscidean and a relative of the modern elephant. It inhabited the cold steppes and was widespread in northern Europe, North America and Asia. During the glaciation period, it also appeared in southern Europe. In Siberia, whole mammoth bodies were discovered in the frozen ground, together with their flesh and hair. The mammoth was larger than the modern elephant, covered with long and thick reddish-brown fur that protected it from the bitter cold.

The mammoth was additionally adapted to the cold climate with a thick layer of subcutaneous adipose tissue and a fat hump on its back and head. It had small ears and long and slightly upward-curved tusks. With its large molars and numerous transverse lamellae, it was able to grind hard and dry steppe and tundra vegetation. It became extinct due to climate change.