What was the likely primary function of the primary frontal horn of Coelodonta antiquitatis?

Sweeping snow aside to reach vegetation beneath

The primary frontal horn of the Woolly Rhinoceros, which could exceed one meter in length, was a massive feature adapted for survival in the harsh Pleistocene environment. Its structure and positioning strongly suggest a functional role related to accessing food during periods of heavy snowfall. In the frigid, grassy mammoth steppe, vegetation could become completely buried under snow and ice. The sheer size and curvature of the horn provided the necessary leverage and force for the rhino to effectively sweep or plow aside snow accumulations, thereby uncovering the sparse grasses and sedges that constituted the majority of its diet. While horns in other species often serve roles in defense or display, the ecological context of the Woolly Rhino points overwhelmingly toward this foraging function as the most critical use for such a significant anatomical feature.