Woolly mammoths walked far enough to circle Earth twice, study finds

Study helps reveal vulnerability of species to human encroachment and reminds us of conservation challenges today, writes Harry Cockburn

Isotopes in a 17,000-year-old mammoth tusk revealed where the 28-year-old male had travelled during his lifetime (Getty)

Scientists have recreated the staggering journey made by one Arctic woolly mammoth using samples taken from a 17,000-year-old tusk, revealing, for the first time, that the species travelled “vast distances”.

The research team, which included academics from the University of Ottawa and the University of Alaska, said the breakthrough research provides a new “window into the lives of these now-extinct creatures, including their preferred habitats and extensive lifetime range”.

Until now, mammoths’ home ranges and their mobility, and how far these giant creatures roamed during their lifetimes has remained a mystery.