Elasmotherium, the Giant Unicorn of Mammoths

I bet you didn’t know unicorns did exist!

Heinrich Harder (1858–1935), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“In prehistoric times, mankind often had only two choices in crisis situations: fight or flee. In modern times, humor offers us a third alternative; fight, flee — or laugh.” — Robert Orben

Elasmotherium, also known as the “Giant Unicorn,” was a massive creature that roamed the earth during the Ice Age.

This massive beast stood up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall at the shoulder and weighed up to 8 tons (7 metric tons). It was roughly the same size as an African elephant.

Elasmotherium had a thick hide and a coat of shaggy hair that covered its body.

Elasmotherium was an extinct genus of giant rhinoceros in Eurasia during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene epochs.

The only known species, Elasmotherium sibiricum, also known as the “Siberian Unicorn,” is thought to have gone extinct around 35,000 years ago.

Although often depicted with a single horn on its forehead, some fossils suggest that Elasmotherium may have had two horns.

Elasmo…