- The Auroch was a species of wild cattle which is now extinct, the last known animal having died in 1627 CE.
- During the Roman Empire, Aurochs were the main Beast used in the slaying of animals in the Roman Amphitheatre, such as the Colosseum.
Name
- Auroch, the plural is Aurochsen which is similar to Ox and Oxen.
- They are also known as the ‘Urus’ and the ‘Wisent’ and are classified as ‘Bos Primigenius’.
- The European Bison, the Wisent, is a separate and distinct species.
Distribution
- Aurochs were distributed throughout Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa, Mesopotamia, India, China and Japan.
- Auroch Fossils have been found in Buto and the Fayum in Egypt.
Fayum, Egypt