32,400-year-old intact woolly rhino mummy discovered in Russia

As if it was preserved in a natural cold room, a woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) was recently revealed The animal, estimated to be at least 32,400 years old, was named the “Abyisky rhino” in honor of the region where it was found.

Discovered in the summer of 2020, the frozen carcass was considered a natural “mummy” due to the fact that its soft tissues and many parts of its skin were perfectly preserved during freezing, according to the article published in the journal Doklady Earth Sciences. The resting place has allowed a series of insights into the anatomy of the extinct animal.

Woolly rhinos lived during the so-called Ice Age, when they shared their habitat with other woolly rhinos with dense and long fur, such as mammoths and other members of the proboscis family, animals with trunks and tusks that were the ancestors of modern elephants, such as mastodons, gomphotheres and paleoloxodonts.

What does a baby woolly rhino mummy look like?

“In this study, We describe the newly discovered frozen mummy of a young woolly rhinoceros (4 to 4.5 years old).The researchers in the study, which “dated the Karginian Interstadial in the Late Neopleistocene (32,440 ± 140 years ago),” note that the dating shows a margin of error of only 140 years.

The young rhino’s age can be determined by its woolly coat, which is short and relatively light, in contrast to the thick, dark fur of the adult animal. Preserved within the wool, the team discovered traces of small parasitic crustaceans known as water fleas (Cladocera: Moinidae), is no longer available in the region.

One “anatomical feature” on the mummified animal’s body was the presence of a fatty hump on its back, something never seen before in other specimens of the species. Previously seen in woolly mammoths and some animals that currently live in cold environments, these fat deposits may have acted as a thermal insulator or as an energy reserve for periods of food scarcity.

The heyday of woolly rhinos

Woolly rhinos, which lived during the last great ice age on Earth, were large, hairy herbivores that stood up to 2 metres tall, 3.5 metres long and weighed up to 2,700 kg. They lived in the cold regions of Eurasia, from Northern Europe to Siberia. Their unique physical characteristics allowed them to live in harsh conditions until about 10,000 years ago, when climate change reduced their habitat.

Although they were abundant in their heyday, Only six woolly rhinoceros carcasses have been preserved in Yakutia so far; the first was in the 18th century.The latest discovery, also made this summer, occurred in the Oymyakonsky rural region of Russia, when miners accidentally discovered the mummified remains of a woolly rhino in a quarry.

A decade ago, Yakutia had already become notable as a home to woolly rhinos, providing another specimen that was also young (1.5 to 2 years old when it died). Known worldwide as “Sasha,” this baby woolly rhino with reddish fur described by researchers as “strawberry blonde” has enabled detailed DNA analysis to better describe the species.

Animals exposed by melting permafrost

Due to current climate change, Many species emerged with the thawing of permafrost. In addition to rhinos, other animal species such as mammoths, wolves, cave lions and even birds could be excavated. In recent years, global warming has been revealing the remains of animals and plants buried during the ice ages.

However, finding these ancient creatures has been a race against time of sorts, as once discovered and exposed to the elements, these ancient animals quickly begin to deteriorate, becoming useless for scientific research and the fossil record is lost forever.

Stay up to date with the latest scientific discoveries on TecMundo. Take the opportunity to understand how we can get one step closer to resurrecting the mammoth. Until next time!