A 35,000-year-old saber-toothed kitten was discovered in a nearly perfect preserved condition in Siberia, a discovery that has left scientists in awe.
A new journal Scientific Reports study, which was published last Thursday, revealed that the remains of the ancient cat was found mummified in the permafrost.
The kitten’s cause of death is unknown.
Here’s a look at the shocking discovery.
Baby saber-toothed cat mummy found in Siberia with intact skin, fur and toes is 'mind-blowing,' scientists say | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/m7pX0geiEg
— WLWT (@WLWT) November 19, 2024
According to the study, the animal was just three weeks old when it died, and still had whiskers and claws attached when it was pulled out of the permafrost.
The cat was covered in a coat of “short, thick, soft, dark brown fur,” that was approximately 20 to 30 millimeters long.
Radiocarbon dating of the kitten’s fur indicates that the animal must have been buried a minimum of 35,000 years ago.
The report noted that the animal had a massive neck region, an unusual muzzle shape, a massive mouth opening and elongated forelimbs.
It also noted that this is the “first time in the history of paleontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied.” This is the first time scientists have been able to describe this species, Homotherium latidens, physical characteristics.
This is not the first time researchers have found a well-preserved ancient animal in the Siberian region.
In June, scientists revealed they completed the autopsy of a 32,000-year-old mummified wolf from the last Ice Age, per Live Science. Then, in August 2024, gold miners found a woolly rhinoceros that still had a horn attached to its body, per the Smithsonian Magazine. Like the kitten, both were also found in the Siberian permafrost.