# Aurochs (*Bos primigenius*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/aurochs  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The aurochs (Bos primigenius) is a mammal in the family Bovidae, subfamily Bovinae and tribe Bovini, within the order Artiodactyla. It falls in the giant size class, with a representative adult body mass of 1.5 tonnes and a representative height of 1.9 m. The IUCN Red List classifies the aurochs as Extinct (EX) in a global assessment, while Catalogue of Life lists Bos primigenius as living, not extinct.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1.5 t |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Height | 1.9 m |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Extinct (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Mammalia
- order: Artiodactyla
- family: Bovidae
- genus: Bos
- species: *Bos primigenius* Bojanus, 1827

Synonyms: *Bos mauretanicus*, *Bos taurus primigenius*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the aurochs?

The aurochs is a mammal in the family Bovidae and the genus Bos, within the order Artiodactyla.

### How heavy is an aurochs?

The aurochs has a representative adult body mass of 1.5 tonnes, which places it in the giant size class.

### How tall is an aurochs?

The aurochs has a representative height of 1.9 m.

### Is the aurochs extinct?

The IUCN Red List classifies the aurochs as Extinct (EX) in a global assessment. Catalogue of Life lists Bos primigenius as living, not extinct.

### What is the scientific name of the aurochs?

The scientific name of the aurochs is Bos primigenius.

### Who named the aurochs?

The aurochs was named Bos primigenius by Bojanus, 1827.

### What are other names for the aurochs?

Other English names for the aurochs are Urus, Auroch, Wild ox, Wild bull and Wild cattle.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Aurochs (Bos primigenius). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/aurochs