Aurochs

Bos primigenius

The aurochs was once one of the largest wild cattle species in Eurasia and is the wild ancestor of modern domestic cattle. It inhabited semi-open woodlands, floodplains and grasslands. Females lived in herds with their young, while bulls were usually solitary or formed bachelor groups.

The species became extinct in 1627. Modern cattle referred to as “aurochs” are therefore back-bred cattle that only resemble the original aurochs in appearance. Genetically, the true aurochs cannot be fully recreated, although many cattle breeds still carry genetic traces of its different subspecies.