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Still snarling after 40,000 years, a giant Pleistocene wolf discovered in Yakutia

By 0 and 0 and 0
07 June 2019

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The Pleistocene wolf’s head is 40cm long, so half of the whole body length of a modern wolf which varies from 66 to 86cm. Picture: Albert Protopopov

The severed head of the world’s first full-sized Pleistocene wolf was unearthed in the Abyisky district in the north of Yakutia. 

Local man Pavel Efimov found it in summer 2018 on shore of the Tirekhtyakh River, tributary of Indigirka.

The wolf, whose rich mammoth-like fur and impressive fangs are still intact, was fully grown and aged from two to four years old when it died. 

Pleistocene wolf

The wolf, whose rich mammoth-like fur and impressive fangs are still intact, was fully grown and aged from two to four years old when it died. Picture: Albert Protopopov

The head was dated older than 40,000 years by Japanese scientists.

Scientists at the Swedish Museum of Natural History will examine the Pleistocene predator’s DNA.

‘This is a unique discovery of the first ever remains of a fully grown Pleistocene wolf with its tissue preserved. We will be comparing it to modern-day wolves to understand how the species has evolved and to reconstruct its appearance,’ said an excited Albert Protopopov, from the Republic of Sakha Academy of Sciences. 

Map

Local man Pavel Efimov found it in summer 2018 on shore of the Tirekhtyakh River, tributary of Indigirka.

The Pleistocene wolf’s head is 40cm long, so half of the whole body length of a modern wolf which varies from 66 to 86cm. 

The astonishing discovery was announced in Tokyo, Japan, during the opening of a grandiose Woolly Mammoth exhibition organised by Yakutian and Japanese scientists. 

CT scan


CT scan


CT scan

CT scan of the wolf's head. Pictures: Albert Protopopov, Naoki Suzuki

Alongside the wolf the scientists presented an immaculately-well preserved cave lion cub. 

‘Their muscles, organs and brains are in good condition,’ said Naoki Suzuki, a professor of palaeontology and medicine with the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, who studied the remains with a CT scanner. 

‘We want to assess their physical capabilities and ecology by comparing them with the lions and wolves of today.’

Pleistocene wolf


Pleistocene wolf

‘This is a unique discovery of the first ever remains of a fully grown Pleistocene wolf with its tissue preserved.' Pictures: Naoki Suzuki

The cave lion cub named Spartak - previously announced - is about 40cm long and weighed about 800 grams. 

Scientists believe the cub died shortly after birth. 

The recent discovery follows that of the remains of three cave lions in 2015 and 2017 by the same team.

The cave lion cub named Spartak - previously announced - is about 40cm long and weighed about 800 grams. Pictures: The Siberian Times, YSIA

Spartak


Spartak


Research


Frozen cave lion cub

Comments (150)

The religious nut doesn't fall far from the religious tree. Creationist are insane. As far as climate change and global warming; Humans account for 3% of the carbon sent into the atmosphere. The other 97% comes from organic decay, volcanoes and forest fires. Climate change is a natural process that follows the solar cycle. Global warming caused by man is a complete hoax backed by pseudoscience and cherry picking of data. Humans who live such finite lives judge the health of the planet by their observation of decades or hundreds of years of climate change, out of 4.6 billion years of existence. It's complete and utter nonsense. Fear, born out of constant worry. All day long, every minute of the day, worried... about everything! That is the cause of the "global warming" insanity.
Michael Dale Sipes, Jr., USA
12/06/2019 04:22
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The Pleistocene wolf’s head is 40cm long, so half of the whole body length of a modern wolf which varies from 66 to 86cm.

That is really impressive. We have a wolf sanctuary near where I live so I’ve gotten to see a modern wolf up close. Having just the head be almost half the body length is just enormous.
Mike Kennedy, USA
12/06/2019 03:29
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Aaron. I respectfully suggest that you learn to spell, punctuate and refrain from using run on sentences before you step into an argument as to whether some Americans are limited.
JD, Seattle
12/06/2019 02:39
15
7
Global Warming is a natural occurrence and no one is going to tell me any different!

I'm sure humans are quickening the process with the help of man made chemicals put in the air the soil and oceans..........Brain washing is a great form of conspiracy which is rife throughout the world via media everything is put out there for us all to believe because that's just another way of controlling the plebs of every country.. ....Viva La Freedom to Thoughts and Speech! ✌
NotBrainwashed, NZ
11/06/2019 19:31
29
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Hopefully they have a conservator working with them. As soon as the remains were removed from the permafrost they began to decay. If they are not properly handled and environmentally conserved their future preservation is at risk.
JL, NM, USA
11/06/2019 17:26
15
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Il y a beaucoup de ressemblance avec la tête de l' ours surtout les photos prises en latéral;..
Lucien Bilodeau, Kébec,..
11/06/2019 09:05
5
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And KEITH- Yeah, it's cows Farting, and the sun (which is about 5 billion years old) suddenly changing in the last 100 years (which is nothing in the scheme of things) - YEP-THAT'S what's causing climate change.



Not human pollution, and the tons of plastic in the sea.



Der!
Jason, Brighton, England
11/06/2019 07:48
28
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KEITH - NOAH???

He wasn't even alive 42,000 years ago!

Especially as the world is SUPPOSEDLY only around... 6500 years old? Ish??

(Which is bollocks!).
Jason, Brighton, England
11/06/2019 07:39
21
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Wow..the wannabe science scholars in this thread debunking and denying real scientists is amazing.
Sciencegeek, L.A.
11/06/2019 05:19
41
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Incredible find... For now Uyan a lion cub of Sibéria is in France .We can see him at "Chauvet cave" until september.Great for us..Thank you
Jocelyne, FRANCE
11/06/2019 03:58
9
1
Evolution teaches one thing evolving into something else. There isnt any new or old information there its a dog people, these so called scientist better go back to grade school and learn the evolution lie agian
Scott Z, USA
11/06/2019 03:08
3
69
Someone get this Keith guy a coffee.

My man. You're talking as if you know this for a fact. This "totally natural, foreseeable cyclical" bulls@#t is a political lie that was given to you. You know who I trust on this issue? Professionals in climate science, of which there is an overwhelming consensus that climate change + global warming are manmade and happening. Like, 99.6% kinda consensus.

Just apply an accurate scope to pre-history. Has the earth warmed and cooled? Yes. Over millennia. Not over decades. That's the difference, Keith.
Dani, USA
11/06/2019 02:31
42
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I HATE SCIENCE, its demonic now, poking its nose in every dead things business
town, country
11/06/2019 01:24
7
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My first reaction was ... a severed head ... I seriousily do not consider this a natural death occurrence ... maybe the lion cub, but certainly NOT the wolf head!
Marianne, Pennsylvania, USA
11/06/2019 00:40
3
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@bob : please stop breathing. Your brain already went ahead
Den, Germany
10/06/2019 23:51
7
4

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