Scientists Unveil Remarkably Preserved 50,000-Year-Old Baby Mammoth in Siberia

In a remarkable discovery, Russian scientists have unveiled the astonishingly preserved remains of a baby mammoth, believed to be over 50,000 years old. Found amid the thawing permafrost of Siberia's remote Yakutia region this past summer, the ancient creature's preservation is so exquisite that it has been dubbed the world’s most intact mammoth carcass.

Named "Yana" after the river basin where she was unearthed, this young mammoth weighs in at more than 100 kilograms (15 stone 10 pounds). Standing at 120 cm (about 4 feet) tall and measuring 200 cm in length, Yana is thought to have been merely a year old when she perished.

Prior to this discovery, only six similar mammoth carcasses had been found globally—five within Russia and one in Canada. Yana's remains were uncovered in the Batagaika crater, the planet's largest permafrost sinkhole, where the thawing of ice reveals hidden treasures of prehistoric life. The mammoth was spotted by locals living near the crater, who, in a stroke of serendipity, were in the right place at the right time.

Maxim Cherpasov, head of the Lazarev Mammoth Museum Laboratory, explained that upon seeing the thawed remains, the residents quickly improvised a stretcher to raise the carcass from its icy tomb. "It’s typical that the first parts to thaw—particularly the trunk—are often consumed by predators or scavenging birds," he shared. "Yet, remarkably, while the forelimbs have been partially eaten, the head remains in astonishing condition."

According to Gavril Novgorodov, a researcher at the museum, the mammoth likely became trapped in a swamp, which ultimately helped preserve it for millennia. This discovery has added to the growing number of ancient specimens brought to light as the Arctic's frozen soil slowly melts due to rising global temperatures.

The remains of Yana are currently undergoing rigorous analysis at the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, where scientists aim to pinpoint the precise time of her death.

This mammoth find is not the only prehistoric relic to emerge from Russia’s permafrost in recent years. As the frozen earth thaws, other ancient creatures have been brought to light. Last month, scientists showcased a partial, mummified sabre-tooth cat, thought to be around 32,000 years old. Earlier this year, the well-preserved remains of a 44,000-year-old wolf were also uncovered.

As climate change accelerates the thawing of the permafrost, more such discoveries are expected, shedding new light on life in the Ice Age.