A team of Russian researchers discovered the mummified remains of a canine pup in Siberia's permafrost, which had been frozen in time for 14,000 years. Upon closer examination, scientists discovered evidence of the pup's final meal preserved inside its stomach. Using DNA analysis, experts have begun to unravel the secrets behind this canine mystery, and the pup's last meal reveals a fascinating insight into the food chain of Siberia during prehistoric times. The Siberian permafrost has yielded fascinating discoveries due to its ability to preserve specimens remarkably intact.
Areas of permafrost are capable of preserving bodies for long stretches of time, even since the prehistoric era, due to being always frozen. Melting permafrost around the world is revealing all sorts of fascinating finds, including the mummified woolly mammoth in 2010, dubbed Yucca. The Cold Mountain environment also preserved the body of a human male from the Chalcolithic era, approximately 5,300 years ago. The ancient pup's remains were sent for analysis, which determined that the creature was aged between three and nine months at the time of its death. However, experts have been unable to conclude whether the pup was a wolf or a dog.
