Extinct dwarf elephant shrank by 85% in ‘intriguing’ evolution on Sicily

The dwarf elephant species lost more than 8,000kg in weight and more than 2m in height throughout its evolution, reports Celine Wadhera

Remains of a Paleoloxodon mnaidriensis — a dwarf elephant found in Sicily (PA)

A new study published by a team of international researchers found that a now-extinct species of dwarf elephant halved in height and shrank by nearly 85 per cent body mass on the island of Sicily.

The evolution, which researchers described as “truly striking” took place over a period of 350,000 years.

Using fossil and molecular evidence, researchers from the Universities of York and Cambridge, Nottingham Trent University, and London’s Natural History Museum were able to analyse the rate at which the elephant reduced in size.