The last recorded live aurochs, a female, died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland, from natural causes. The causes of extinction were unrestricted hunting, a narrowing of habitat due to the development of farming, and diseases transmitted by domesticated cattle.

Are aurochs back?

The auroch may be long gone, yet all is not lost. Today strands of its DNA remain alive, distributed among a number of ancient cattle breeds that still exist across Europe. Rewilding Europe, together with the Dutch Taurus Foundation, in 2013 embarked on a programme to bring the auroch back to life.

When did aurochs become extinct in Britain?

Conservationists and scientists are aiming to produce an animal that will be a "near 100% substitute" of the ancient auroch, one of the earliest cow species, which became extinct in 1627.