Unveiling the Secrets: Ancient Baby Mammoth Discovered Frozen in Yukon – A 30,000-Year Journey!

Gold miners in the Yukon, Canada, have made an exciting discovery: a well-preserved baby mammoth. This calf, named "Nun cho ga," meaning “big baby animal” in the Hän language, was found in the traditional lands of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin tribe. Experts say it’s the most complete mammoth ever found in North America.

Nun cho ga belonged to the woolly mammoth species, which lived during the Pleistocene epoch, long before going extinct. These fascinating creatures are often studied due to other well-preserved remains found mainly in Siberia and Alaska. Woolly mammoths were massive, with adult males towering between 2.7 to 3.4 meters and weighing up to 6 tons. Females were a bit smaller, reaching up to 2.9 meters and weighing around 4 tons.

Dr. Grant Zazula, an ice age paleontologist, expressed his excitement, saying, “Meeting a real woolly mammoth has always been a dream of mine. Nun cho ga is stunning and one of the most incredible mummified animals ever found.”

Evidence suggests that these majestic animals began to vanish at the end of the Pleistocene, but isolated groups survived much longer. For instance, some lived on St. Paul Island until about 5,600 years ago and on Wrangel Island until around 4,000 years ago. Recent studies even suggest that mammoths may have been present in Yukon until as recently as 5,700 years ago based on ancient environmental DNA.

The calf was preserved in permafrost for over 30,000 years when the Yukon was teeming with Ice Age animals, including wild horses and cave lions. Nun cho ga shares a size similarity with "Lyuba," a 42,000-year-old mammoth found in Siberia in 2007, and a calf discovered in Alaska in 1948.

The discovery was made at Eureka Creek, through a collaborative effort between geologists, the Klondike Placer Miners’ Association, and the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin community, ensuring careful recovery and preservation of the remains.

Ranj Pillai, Yukon’s Minister of Tourism and Culture, emphasized the importance of this find: "The Yukon has a long-standing reputation in Ice Age research. This discovery offers valuable insights into the prehistoric life that once roamed North America. Collaborations make discoveries like this possible, honoring traditions and cultures.”

Recent statistics highlight that Northern wildlife conservation efforts, like those surrounding these discoveries, are more crucial than ever. A 2022 report revealed a 70% decline in mammoth habitat due to climate change, underscoring the need to study these ancient species to better understand present-day ecological changes.

With Nun cho ga’s discovery, researchers hope to gather more information about woolly mammoths and their environment, further enriching our understanding of these remarkable creatures.

For more on Yukon’s history and recent discoveries, visit the Yukon Government’s official page.

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