Aurochs

The aurochs (/ˈɔːrɒks/ or /ˈaʊrɒks/; pl. aurochs, or rarely aurochsen, aurochses), also urus, ure (Bos primigenius), is an extinct species 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.
During the Neolithic Revolution, which occurred during the early Holocene, at least two aurochs domestication events occurred: one related to the Indian subspecies, leading to zebu cattle, and the other one related to the Eurasian subspecies, leading to taurine cattle. Other species of wild bovines were also domesticated, namely the wild water buffalo, gaur, wild yak and banteng. In modern cattle, numerous breeds share characteristics of the aurochs, such as a dark colour in the bulls with a light eel stripe along the back (the cows being lighter), or a typical aurochs-like horn shape.[2]
Category:Animals
Category:Creatures
Category:IUCN red list extinct species
Category:Mammals described in 1827
Category:Bovines
Category:Extinct mammals of europe
Category:Extinct mammals
Category:Extinct mammals of asia
Category:Extinct mammals of africa
Category:Fossil taxa described in 1827
Category:Mammal extinctions since 1500
Category:Pleistocene even-toed ungulates
Category:Pliocene even-toed ungulates
Category:Prehistoric bovids
Category:Bovids of africa
Category:Species made extinct by human activities