In brief
Found in Siberia's permafrost, Yana is the most well-preserved mammoth ever discovered, sparking excitement among researchers and enthusiasts alike.
Russian scientists have made an exciting discovery in Siberia: the remains of a 50,000-year-old baby mammoth, affectionately named Yana! Discovered in the Yakutia region during the summer, Yana is considered the best-preserved mammoth carcass known to science. Weighing over 100 kg (15st 10lb) and measuring 120 cm (4ft) tall, this little mammoth was only about a year old at the time of her death. Yana was found in the Batagaika crater, the world’s largest site of permanently frozen ground, thanks to some lucky locals who spotted her as she partially thawed out. According to scientists, the mammoth probably got stuck in a swamp, which led to her incredible preservation over thousands of years. Impressively, while the forelimbs of Yana have suffered some damage from scavengers, her head remains in fantastic condition. Researchers are currently studying Yana at the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, trying to pinpoint the exact time of her demise. This discovery is part of a broader trend as more prehistoric animals, like a 32,000-year-old sabre-tooth cat and a 44,000-year-old wolf, are being revealed due to climate change thawing frozen grounds in Russia. Exciting times for archaeology!
