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In an "exceptional" discovery, the mummified remains of two glacial mammals, a wolf pup and a caribou, were found in the Yukon's rugged, wilderness in northern Canada.
Detected by melting permafrost by miners who were looking for gold in Dawson City, the two mummies are more than 50,000 years old and are "remarkably well preserved, hair, skin and muscle tissue intact," according to a statement from the Yukon government.
While the discovery itself was made two years ago, the "spectacular" mummies have only been unveiled to the public this week, during a ceremony held in Dawson City on September 13th. The Guardian.
"They are spectacular, they are world-class and we are really excited about them," said Yukon government paleontologist Grant Zazula.
In addition to being found in a fantastic state, the two mummies are also among the oldest mammalian soft tissue specimens in the world. BBC.
In addition, the Cub is considered the first mummy of its kind to emerge from any paleontological dig.
"To our knowledge, it is the only wolf of the mummified ice age in the world," Zazula said.
The paleontologist explained that, although it is not uncommon for ice age bones and fossils to appear in the Yukon, the remains of mummified animals are exceptionally rare.
50,000-year-old mummified remains of two ice age animals unveiled on Canadian soil #Yukon https://t.co/nL77sGOo58
– RT (@RT_com) September 14, 2018
Of the two baby animals, the Cub is by far the best preserved. The mummy has been found completely intact and has striking details all over its anatomy, from head to paws and tail.
"It's beautiful, the fur, there are the cute little paws and tail and the curved upper lip showing her teeth. It's spectacular, "Zazula told reporters at the grand unveiling.
Discovered on July 13, 2016, the Cub would have been about eight weeks old at the time of his death.
"We want to do an old DNA test to see who it is linked to and look at its microbiome to see if there are still intestinal bacteria," said Julie Meachen, a carnivorous morphologist at Des Moines University. in Iowa. the Cub's mummy.
During this time, the caribou calf is only partially preserved and essentially represents the front half of the animal, with the head, torso and forelimbs.
"Spectacular" Wolf Cub and Calf, Over 50,000 Years Old, Unveiled in Canada https://t.co/JsazS525XR pic.twitter.com/DDyVs7ODUI
– euronews (@euronews) September 15, 2018
According to Canadian media CBC NewsThe caribou mummy was actually the first of two to be discovered by gold miners in the Yukon. Found in June 2016, the specimen was dug up from an area that contained an old volcanic ash bed dating back 80,000 years ago.
"These are ashes found in permafrost from volcanoes in Alaska that erupted during the ice age," Zazula said. "We think it's one of the oldest mummified soft tissues in the world."
Both animals are believed to have lived in the dry tundra ecosystem of Canada's Far North and have probably shared the landscape with other mammals of the Ice Age such as woolly mammoths.
Given their incredible state of conservation, these rare mummies will help researchers better understand how animals lived 50,000 years ago. Paleontologists could even focus on the cause of animal death, in addition to investigating their age, diet, and genetics.
The Cub and Caribou are currently on display at Danoja Zho Cultural Center in Dawson, which will be home to the precious mummies for the rest of the month.
The Canadian Conservation Institute has accepted both specimens because of their "scientific significance," the Yukon government said.
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