“The 30,000-year-old severed head of a wolf, with teeth and fur, has been found in Siberia. And it’s gnarly” – USA Today
The well-preserved severed head of a wolf found in Siberia is believed to be more than 30,000 year old.
- The severed head of a wolf that may have died more than 30,000 years ago has been unearthed in permafrost in eastern Siberia.
- The wolf, whose fur and fangs are still intact, was between 2 and 4 years old when it died, The Siberian Times reported Friday.
- The Pleistocene wolf’s head measured more than 15 inches long, per the Times, larger than that of a modern wolf’s head, which measures between 9 and 11 inches.
- Protopopov estimated the specimen is more than 40,000 years old, but two paleontologists involved in the project, Love Dalén from the Swedish Museum of Natural History and Valeri Plotniknov from the Yakutia Academy of Sciences, told Gizmodo that the head was closer to 30,000 years old.
- The team from Sweden will study the predator’s DNA, and researchers are building a digital model of the wolf’s brain and the interior of its skull, Protopopov told CNN.He told the outlet that as temperatures rise around the globe, more remains will likely be uncovered in the region where the head was discovered.
- Researchers believe the cub, nicknamed Spartak, died shortly after birth.