TL;DR:
- Scientists discovered a 35,000-year-old mummified saber-toothed cat cub in Siberian permafrost with exceptionally preserved features including intact skin, fur, and toes, marking the first-ever discovery of its kind.
- The three-week-old cub belongs to species Homotherium latidens, featuring dark brown fur, massive neck, larger mouth opening, and unique adaptations for snow navigation, providing unprecedented insights into these extinct predators.
- Found in 2020 near Badyarikha River in Yakutia, Russia, this discovery represents the first evidence of this species in Asia, though fossilized bones were previously found in the Netherlands and Canadian Yukon.
- The mummy’s extraordinary preservation offers valuable clues about the evolution of felines, as genetic analysis shows this genus split from other ancient cats around 18 million years ago.
A remarkably preserved mummified saber-toothed cat cub, discovered in 2020 along the Badyarikha River in Russia’s northeastern Sakha Republic, has provided scientists with unprecedented insights into these extinct predators. The specimen, approximately three weeks old at death, represents the first-ever mummy of a saber-toothed cat species.
“It’s a fantastic feeling to see with your own eyes the life appearance of a long-extinct animal,” remarked Dr. Alexey V. Lopatin, director of the Borissiak Paleontological Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The exceptionally preserved remains include the head, anterior body, and forelimbs, covered in dark brown fur measuring 20 to 30 millimeters in length. Radiocarbon dating places the specimen between 35,471 to 37,019 years ago, during the Late Pleistocene period.
The mummy belongs to Homotherium latidens, a species that roamed across Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas until its extinction approximately 12,000 years ago. This discovery marks the first evidence of this species in Asia, though fossilized remains have previously been found in the Netherlands and Canada’s Yukon.
Detailed analysis revealed striking differences between the ancient cub and modern lion cubs of similar age. The specimen exhibits distinctive features including:
- A massive neck region
- Elongated forelimbs
- Smaller ears
- A larger mouth opening
- Rounded paws adapted for snow navigation
- Sharp, strongly curved claws
“For the first time in the history of paleontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied,” noted the research team in their Scientific Reports publication.
The discovery occurred when mammoth tusk hunters noticed fur protruding from the permafrost. The region’s cold, dry conditions have previously yielded other well-preserved Ice Age specimens, including woolly rhinoceros and cave lion cubs.
Scientists plan to conduct further research, including DNA analysis and detailed examinations of the mummy’s skeleton, muscles, and hair. Manuel J. Salesa, a saber-toothed cat expert at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid, expressed enthusiasm about potential future discoveries: “Let’s hope our colleagues in Russia have luck finding the adults. That would be truly astonishing.”
This groundbreaking find not only provides unprecedented insights into the appearance and anatomy of these ancient predators but also offers valuable clues about their hunting strategies and adaptation to cold climates.
Source: Edition
