According to the fossil record, the aurochs were in India around 2 million years ago. They entered Europe around 200,000 years ago. Aurochs could once be found throughout Europe, Northern Africa into Egypt, and as far west as India and Japan. Because of this wide range, many early cultures were familiar with the aurochs as represented in cultural artifacts, paintings, and carvings. Around 10,000 years ago people began to leave a hunter/gatherer lifestyle to one centered around farming & agriculture. Sometime during this period, in at least two areas of the world began to try domesticating animals. In India, the domestication of the aurochs led to the creation of the Zebu. In the "Fertile Crescent '' an area in the Middle East, the domestication of aurochs led to the domesticated cow we know today. The domesticated breeds of aurochs were much calmer and easier to raise for meat, milk, leather, and horns. Many things affected the aurochs population as the human population expanded throughout Northern Africa, Europe, & Asia. The use of farming practices and agriculture helped people to establish cities with larger populations. This need for farm land changed the landscape of Europe and Asia. The domesticated cattle began to compete for grazing land with the aurochs. As the population of aurochs decreased, the desire to hunt them became more popular. In Europe, only nobility could hunt them. People would use spears, arrows, and dogs to hunt them. As the aurochs became more rare, the desire to use their horns for decoration, mugs, and trophies only increased. The last wild aurochs was killed in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest in Poland. Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. The aurochs might be a candidate. Scientists would potentially use DNA from the remaining skins and specimens at museums. Some scientists believe that this method would be a more effective way to bring back a living aurochs. There have been many attempts to "bring back" the aurochs to its original form. In the 1920's, German scientist, Heinz Heck, tried to breed various breeds of cows at the zoo to resurrect the aurochs. These "Heck Cattle'' were released into the wild in the Netherlands, but they starved during two particularly harsh winters. In 2013, Rewilding Europe & the Dutch Taurus Foundation, started a program to bring the aurochs back to life. It is estimated that it will take at least 7 generations of careful breeding to recreate the aurochs. Scientists are hoping to have an "aurochs" by 2025 through selective breeding. Scientists can compare the resulting "aurochs" through selective breeding to the original aurochs DNA found in museum specimens. Scientists are hopeful that once the aurochs is brought back, it could be released into the wild and fulfill its ancient role as a keystone species of Europe, Asia, and Africa. If the aurochs was brought to life, could it ever be reintroduced to its native homeland in Europe?