Russian scientists on Monday unveiled the remarkably well-preserved remains of a 50,000-year-old baby mammoth named "Yana," discovered in the permafrost of Yakutia this summer.
Yana, a female mammoth estimated to have died at just over one year old, was found in the Yana River basin and is considered the best-preserved mammoth carcass ever unearthed. She is one of only seven complete mammoth remains discovered globally, according to researchers at the Federal University of the North East in Yakutsk.
"We were all surprised by the exceptional preservation of the mammoth," said university rector Anatoly Nikolayev. Researcher Maxim Cheprasov described the find as a "unique discovery."
The carcass, weighing 180 kilograms (397 pounds) and measuring four feet tall and six and a half feet long, was showcased in Yakutsk on Monday.
Yana's remains were excavated near the Batagaika research station, where other prehistoric animals, including a horse, bison, and lemming, have been unearthed.
The permafrost of Yakutia, a remote region bordering the Arctic Ocean, acts as a natural freezer, preserving prehistoric specimens in remarkable condition.
Researchers plan to analyze Yana further to determine her exact age at death and gain insights into her species.
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