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The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years

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11 August 2018

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Clipety-clop! The Upper Paleolithic foal held by Semyon Grigoryev, head of the Mammoth Museum 

This is the first picture of an ancient foal dug out of the permafrost in the Batagai depression - also known as the ‘Mouth of Hell’ -  in the Yakutia region of Siberia. 

Head of the world famous Mammoth Museum in Yakutsk, Semyon Grigoryev,  said: ‘The foal was approximately three months old (when it died). 

‘The unique find was made in the permafrost of Batagai depression. The foal was completely preserved by permafrost.   

‘The extra value of the unique find is that we obtained samples of soil layers where it was preserved, which means we will be able to restore a picture of the foal’s environment.’

The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years


The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years


The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years


The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years

The Batagai depression in Verkhoyansky district of Yakutia. Pictures: The Siberian Times


The Ice Age foal lived up to 40,000 years ago, it is understood.

It was buried at a level of around 30 metres in the tadpole-shaped depression, which is a ‘megaslump’ one kilometre long and around 800 metres wide. 

‘We will report the exact time when it lived after studying the soil samples,’ said the scientist.

‘The foal has completely preserved dark-brown hair, its tail and mane, as well as all internal organs. 

‘There are no visible wounds on its body. 

‘This is the first find in the world find of a pre-historic horse of such a young age and with such an amazing level of preservation.’

The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years


The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years


The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years


The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years


The foal that came in from the cold after 40,000 years
Semyon Grigoryev, head of the Mammoth Museum in Yakutsk, and the Batagai depression in Verkhoyansk depression in Verkhoyansk district of Yakutia. Pictures: The Siberian Times


One unconfirmed account suggests that hair on the ancient horse has ‘zebra-like stripes’ on its legs. 

The foal was found by an expedition to the Verkhoyansky district of Yakutia.

The find was located by scientists from the North-Eastern Federal University, and Kindai University in Japan along with a crew from Fuji TV.

Nine years ago locals in Batagai village found a bison calf and part of an ancient horse’s body.

Locals in the remote Yakutia region see this spectacular crater as superstitious, and know it as the 'gateway to the underworld'. In fact, the depression was caused by the Soviets, who cleared forest here, but it is now being enlarged and shaped by climate change, according to local scientists.

Comments (36)

Amazing find... instrumental in Equus researching and the diversity of environmental changes this hardy species adapted to and thrived in.
Sunny Pandolfelli, USA
12/08/2018 20:18
14
1
that's super great I love history and also because it a colt
peggy, anderson ca usa
12/08/2018 14:58
1
1
Why do I have to be the one to point out one of the aerial photos strikingly resembles a sperm wiggling around?
NerdyMcNerdFace, US
12/08/2018 13:44
16
6
I would love to see a picture of the entire foal.
Stephanie , Portland, Oregon USA
12/08/2018 09:10
15
2
this little foal needs a name i thought of one for it its name is molodoy meaning young one
Chris Mckenzie, United States
12/08/2018 07:23
12
0
What a historic find for mankind. All of the people in the world who loves horse's should be interestin.I know I am. Please keep me in the
Kathleen Moore , Pasco Washington USA
12/08/2018 06:40
11
1

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