What feeding classification characterized Coelodonta antiquitatis?
Answer
Obligate grazer
The woolly rhinoceros (*Coelodonta antiquitatis*) is consistently described by scientific consensus as an obligate grazer. This classification means its digestive system and specialized anatomy were optimized almost exclusively for processing large quantities of low-lying, fibrous vegetation found in its environment, the mammoth steppe. Unlike herbivores that shift their intake based on seasonal availability, an obligate grazer's survival hinges on maximizing intake from specific grass-dominated sources. This strict preference dictated its ecological niche within the Pleistocene ecosystem, contrasting sharply with the more flexible feeding strategies observed in contemporaries like the woolly mammoth.
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