Bos Primigenius

Bos Primigenius
Restoration of Bos Primigenius
Characteristics
Era	Cenozoic
Period	Pliocene - Holocene
Living Period	1627 - 250.000 Years Ago
Region	Europe, Asia and North Africa
Size	Length: 2,5 - 3,1 m, height: 2 m, weight: 1 ton, horn's length: 80 cm
Synonyms	Bos mauretanicus, Bos namadicus
First Appearance	Chapter 47

Bos Primigenius also known as Aurochs is an extinct type of cattle appearing as a minor animal within the series.

Description

The aurochs (Bos primigenius), the ancestor of domestic cattle, was a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627. Aurochs bulls are believed to have reached a height of 1.8 meters at the withers, and the cows to have been about 1.5 meters, displaying considerable sexual dimorphism.

The aurochs was regarded as a challenging hunting quarry animal, contributing to its extinction. The last recorded aurochs, a female, died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland, and her skull is now the property of the Livrustkammaren ("Royal Armory") museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

Domestication of bovines occurred in several parts of the world but at roughly the same time, about 8,000 years ago, possibly all derived from the aurochs. In 1920, the Heck brothers, who were German biologists, attempted to recreate aurochs. The resulting cattle are known as Heck cattle or Reconstructed Aurochs, and number in the thousands in Europe today. However, they are genetically and physiologically distinct from aurochs. The Heck brothers' aurochs also have a pale yellow dorsal stripe, instead of white.

Mariya's History Fact

An ancestor of the present day cows or cattle. It lived in small herds on grassy plains or in the forests. It had a deep connection to humans, and you can also see them drawn on the walls of the lascaux caves in France.

Appearance

In Cage of Eden, Bos Primigenius appears as a cow with two horns on its forehead that extend from each side. It appears as a relatively large animal that has brown fur and a long head. It has black eyes and black hooves.

Chronology

Argentavis arc

Bos Primigenius appears briefly after Akira Sengoku's exploration party arrives back at the base. It is seen being attacked by a group of Argentavis whilst still alive. The unfortunate cattle was knocked to the ground as the Argentavis bites into and removing its eyes as the Bos Primigenius screams whilst other Argentavis feast on its flesh.