Scientists have made a huge discovery after stumbling upon a mummified Saber Tooth Tiger for the first time ever.
The juvenile animal was found frozen in Siberia in the middle of a permafrost, meaning an area of Earth that has remained permanently below freezing for at least two years straight. This big cat was thought to have been there for around 35,000 years completely untouched. When found, scientists discovered the fur, torso and head completely intact – extremely rare considering the age of the beast.
The cat was discovered in 2020, but new research has finally shed light on the species and history of the animal. Boffins believe it was just a cub when it passed away, as it had not yet grown the sharp razor teeth expected with the species.
(Image: A V Lopatin/Scientific Reports)
Originally found by Badyarikha River in the northeast of Yakutia, Russia, universities have been studying the remains. “For the first time in the history of palaeontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied,” wrote researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences in their study.
The carcass was theorised to be around three weeks old when it perished. Experts noted the cat had several distinct characteristics which are hugely different from a modern day tiger and lions that we know today.
Firstly, these cats were evolved to live in cold climates, with sabre tooths being particularly rife during the Ice Age. They had a large mouth opening, a stranger more rounded muzzle, small ears and a chunky neck region which are all common characteristics of cold-climate animals.
(Image: A V Lopatin/Scientific Reports)
Different adaptations were common to different species of sabre tooths. This cat fitted in with what they assumed the Russian species would look like. The species lived in Eurasia until around 10,000 years ago when the last Ice Age came to a close.
Certain animals evolve into other branches and species, which means characteristics could still be around today. However, sabre tooths are an extinct evolutionary branch and do not have any direct descendants. They first appeared on fossil records 800,000 years ago.
Scientists now say their decline was due to several reasons including climate change, human involvement and a decline in prey. The closest living animal to these cats is the Clouded Leopard, a wild cat that lives in the Himalayas.
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