Gold miners in the Yukon region of Canada have stumbled upon the most well-preserved mammoth ever found in North America. The woolly mammoth baby, which is estimated to be over 30,000 years old, was discovered in the Klondike gold fields. The female calf, named Nun cho ga by the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in indigenous community, was found in the permafrost and is said to be “one of the most incredible mummified ice age animals ever found in the world.”
According to scientists from the University of Calgary and geologists from the relevant authority, the woolly mammoth baby died during the ice age and was preserved in the permafrost for over 30,000 years. Initial examinations suggest that the animal was around one month old when it died. The skin and hair of the animal are well-preserved, and its tiny fingers and toenails are still visible. Grant Zazula, a paleontologist from the relevant authority, described the discovery as “an incredible scientific find.”
This is only the second discovery of its kind in the world, with the first being a similarly sized woolly mammoth baby found in Siberia in 2007. The discovery of Nun cho ga provides scientists with a unique opportunity to learn more about how woolly mammoths lived in North America and Eurasia over hundreds of thousands of years. The species became extinct on the mainland around 13,000 years ago, although some populations survived on Arctic islands for several thousand years longer. The woolly mammoth species is believed to have originated around 800,000 to 600,000 years ago during the transition from the early to middle Pleistocene period.
Overall, the discovery of Nun cho ga is a significant scientific breakthrough that provides valuable insights into the life and times of woolly mammoths. The well-preserved remains of the animal will undoubtedly be studied in detail by scientists for years to come, shedding new light on this fascinating species and its place in the history of our planet.
