Elasmotherium, the "Thin Plate 
Beast," is a prehistoric mammal from
a time where everything seemed to
grow larger and hairier. With a
length of about four and a half
meters and a height of over two
meters, the Elasmotherium was not an
incredibly large creature, but its
large horn and power compensated for 
it. Its meter-tall horn was made of 
keratin, the substance that makes up
human nails, and was probably used 
for defense and display. Though it 
weighed almost twice the weight of
a white rhinoceros, the Elasmo-
therium is thought to have been able
to gallop just like its modern
relative. 

Living during the late Pliocene to 
the late Plesitocene, it roamed 
Eurasia grazing on grass and 
sometimes browsing selectively to 
find the most nutritious plants. It 
likely inhabited savannas, areas 
with brush, and closed forests. 
Legends across Asia refer to a beast
with a large horn, and some ancient 
art depicts a creature resembling 
the Elasmotherium. In Western 
Europe, tales and Paleolithic art 
speak of large, horned beasts. If 
these beasts are Elasmotherium, 
then their range actually consisted
of Western Europe in addition to
Eurasia. These legends only add to
the mystery of these creatures that
science is still working to solve.
