In Yukon, Canada, a group of miners were panning for gold. And then… the mummy of a baby woolly mammoth appeared. It inhabited the Earth 30,000 years ago. The Ice Age never ceases to amaze mankind.
The finding generates great expectations since it was found in good condition. This will allow experts to carry out further studies on its origin and way of life.
Massive fossil record
The mammoth mummy was found in permafrost in the vicinity of Dawson City. This is very close to Alaska. This is a region where such finds are common. In this case it is a baby female that was named Nun cho ga. In the local language it means “big baby animal”.
“As an Ice Age paleontologist it is one of my dreams. I see face to face with a real woolly mammoth. It is beautiful and one of the most incredible mummified animals of the Ice Age. I wish I knew her better,” said Canadian paleontologist Grant Zazula.
The area where the baby mammoth was found is exactly in the Klondike goldfields. According to the authorities, the real discoverers of the remains were mine workers. They detected a foreign material foreign to the ore they were looking for.
“Yukon has a world-famous fossil record of Ice Age animals. But rarely are mummified remains with skin and hair unearthed. This is the most complete mummified mammoth found in North America.” The Yukon government said in a statement.
Divine significance
The local tribe also rejoiced at the discovery. They attributed to it a divine and completely traditional significance.
“This is a remarkable recovery for our First Nation. We look forward to working with the Government of Yukon on the next steps in the process. We want to move forward with these remains in a way that honors our traditions, culture and laws. We are grateful to the elders who have guided us thus far and to the name they have provided us. We are committed to treating this animal respectfully,” said Roberta Joseph, chief of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin.
