An extraordinarily well-preserved woolly rhino was recently discovered in the thawing permafrost of Siberia, which seemed inconceivable. The extinct Ice Age species is expected to be the best-preserved woolly rhino in the Yakutia area, which is noted for its extreme cold.
So, what do we know about this beast? According to preliminary study, the rhino, whose gender is unknown, was between three and four years old and lived between 20,000 and 50,000 years ago. It was most likely raised separate from its mother and drowned in the summer.
The rhino’s fur and internal organs were preserved to a remarkable degree, and it provides a far clearer image of the animal’s look and lifestyle. Thick hazel-colored hair, a horn, teeth, part of the intestines, and even chunks of fat may all be found in the frozen body. We’ll learn more about the beast once ice roads can develop and it’s brought to experts in Yakutsk, where the Mammoth Museum is located.
Summertime in Siberia may expose an interesting time capsule under the ground’s surface due to climate change. (In August, a woolly rhino was discovered.) This isn’t the first time such a remarkable find has been made in Yakutia. Sasha, the world’s sole newborn woolly rhino, was discovered not far from the new young rhino’s grave in 2014.
A very well-preserved woolly rhino was recently discovered in Siberia’s thawing permafrost.
Get an up-close look at the discovery in the video below:
h/t: [IFLS]