Scientists have discovered that the last Woolly Mammoths died of thirst. They now think that it is thirst that caused the Woolly Mammoth to go extinct.
The study on Woolly Mammoths was done by the National Academy of Sciences. And published in an academic journal.
They studied an area in Alaska, were the Woolly Mammoth lived. The specifically studied a lake in Alaska called St Paul's.
By studying the lake, the scientists could find out several things about the mammoths. Such as, when they disappeared from the area.
They found out when the mammoth had lived to. And estimated that the Woolly Mammoth had lived in the area up unil 5,650 years ago. Meaning that they likely went extinct during that time.
They found that the animal died out due to there being a lack of fresh water in the area. Mammoths would have drunk the same as modern day Elephants. Around 50 gallons a day. A depletion in the water supply, meant that the animal could not survive.