Siberia, August 7: An Ice Age lion cub, dating back tens of thousands of years ago, has been discovered in Siberia in Russia. Researchers believe that the cub is one of the best-preserved fossils, in nearly ‘perfect condition’ found so far. Reports inform that a 28,000-year-old cave lion cub, found by experts, was seen curled up under the permafrost. The teeth, skin, claws, and even whiskers of the ice age lion cub were still intact, making it the best-preserved specimen. Golden Langur Becomes Extinct After Last Surviving Primate From Assam’s Umananda Passes Away.
As per records, cave lions are extinct species. They have been extinct for around 14,000 years now. According to a report by Euronews, the cub was initially called ‘Sparta’ by scientist Dr Valery Plotnikov and his colleagues. It was found just 15 metres away from another cave lion cub, called ‘Boris’, that locals had discovered earlier. Second Wave of Animal Extinction is Coming: 558 Mammals Could Go Extinct by 2021 Says Study; Sir David Attenborough Warns Similar Mass Extinction For One Million Species!
Ice Age Lion Cub Found in Russia’s Siberia; See Pics
28,000yr old lion cub looks near perfectly preserved: https://t.co/o99gVSGpjQ “Sparta” was frozen in Siberia & was just 1-2mths old when she perished. An unprecedented permafrost-preserved specimen, “…probably the best preserved Ice Age animal ever found” #Nature #Animals pic.twitter.com/EUMxDLQIuL
— Maurie Ryan Jacobs (@jacobsjapan) August 6, 2021
This CAVE LION cub is arguably the best preserved #iceage animal ever found!
It’s name is Sparta.
In a paper published today with colleagues from ?? ?? & ??, we use DNA & 14C to show that it’s a female cub that died c 28,000 years ago.
Read more here:https://t.co/Vc2VI7VFfJ pic.twitter.com/NkXTFCvsyB
— Centre for Palaeogenetics (@CpgSthlm) August 4, 2021
The report adds that a CT scan showed Sparta was female and 15,000 years younger than another cub found 15 meters away, dubbed as Boris. The report adds that the pair were first thought to be siblings, however, a study stated that they lived more than 15,000 years apart and carbon dating put Boris at 43,448 years old.
The new study reveals that both the cubs were just one to two months old when they died and there is no evidence that they were killed by a predator. The study also suggests they might have fallen and become trapped might have been buried in a mudslide.
(The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Aug 07, 2021 07:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).
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