Scientists have discovered the carcass of a 50,000-year-old giant baby mammoth in Russia as a result of melting permafrost. The female mammoth, nicknamed Yana, is an “exceptional” find by the research team, according to the North-Eastern Federal University.
What does the female mammoth look like?
The female mammoth weighs about 100 kilograms (220 pounds) and is 120 centimeters (47 inches) long. Scientists say Yana was one year old when she died, the Associated Press reported. Her remains are one of seven mammoth carcasses recovered worldwide. The carcass was found among the melting permafrost in the crater, known as 'gateway to the underworld'.
What is 'gateway to the underworld'?
Located in Siberia, Russia, the Batagaika Crater is known as the “Gateway to the Underworld”. The layer was nicknamed because of its great depth that is constantly increasing due to the melting ice due to global warming.
The region is covered by permafrost, a layer of soil that has remained frozen for millions of years. The one-kilometer-deep crater has also revealed the remains of other ancient animals, including bison, horses and dogs.
Climate change and the melting of permafrost
Climate change and global warming have accelerated the melting of permafrost, resulting in the discovery of more and more parts of prehistoric animals.
Yana will be studied by scientists from Russia's Northeastern Federal University, which has a special mammoth research center and museum.
The university described the find as “exceptional” and said it would provide researchers with new information about how mammoths lived and adapted to their environment.