Scientists have discovered the carcass of a 50,000-year-old giant baby mammoth as a result of thawing permafrost in Russia. According to North-Eastern Federal University, the female mammoth, nicknamed Yana, is an “extraordinary” discovery by the research team.
What does a female mammoth look like?
Female mammoths weigh approximately 100 kilograms (220 lb) and are 120 centimeters (47 in) tall. According to scientists, Yana was one year old when she died, the Associated Press reports. His remains are one of seven mammoth carcasses recovered worldwide. The body was found amid melting permafrost at the crater, known as the “Gateway to the Underworld.”
What is ‘Gateway to the Underworld’?
Batagaika Crater, located in Siberia, Russia, is called the “Gateway to the Underworld”. This layer gets its nickname due to its extreme depth which is continuously increasing due to melting ice as a result of global warming.
The area is covered with permafrost, a layer of soil that has been frozen for millions of years. Remains of other ancient animals including bison, horses and dogs have also been found in the one kilometer deep pit.
Climate change and thawing 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 at Russia’s North-Eastern Federal University, which has a dedicated massive research center and museum.
The university described the discovery as “extraordinary” and said it would give researchers new information about how mammoths lived and adapted to their environments.
What is permafrost?
Permafrost is soil or underwater sediment that remains below 0 °C for more than two consecutive years. There are permafrost layers that have been frozen for more than 700,000 years.
While the vertical extent of the shallowest permafrost is below one meter, the deepest layer can be up to 1,500 meters thick. These layers are usually found in narrow mountain peaks or extend across vast arctic regions.
