Scientists in Siberia unearthed the deep-frozen, mummified remains of a juvenile woolly rhinoceros from the permafrost, dated to over 32,000 years ago! The carcass of this pre-historic creature, found in the ice-covered banks of the Tirekhtyakh River in Russia’s Sakha Republic, provides crucial insights into the species that once roamed the Arctic tundra during the last Ice Age. The well-preserved right side of the young woolly rhino, who died at the age of 4, still bears patches of skin and fur in amazing condition.
32,000-year-old well preserved woolly rhinoceros found in Tirekhtyakh River in Russia’s Sakha Republic. (Boeskorov, G.G. et al./Doklady Earth Sciences)
Much Predated Upon: Woolly Rhinos
The left side of the carcass, on the other hand, reveals significant damage, with clear signs that predators had fed on it, either shortly before or after its death. Further analysis of the remains uncovered traces of tiny crustaceans embedded in the rhino’s fur, suggesting that the animal perished in a shallow pool of water.
“From the upper part of the thigh to the level of the shoulder blade, [the carcass] is severely destroyed. The internal cavity of the body is exposed, and most of the intestines are missing… from the mangled carcass, it is obvious that the left side of the mummy was eaten by predators,” researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Sakha wrote in a study documenting the carcass, published in the journal Doklady Earth…
