Palaeontology

Perfectly preserved saber-toothed kitten found in Siberian permafrost

By T.K. Randall
November 21, 2024 ·  37 comments

It's hard to believe that this kitten is 35,000 years old. Image Credit: Lopatin et al. Scientific Reports Discovered in Russia's northeastern Sakha Republic, this remarkable saber-toothed kitten is so well preserved that it still has its whiskers, claws and a coat of "short, thick, soft, dark brown fur".

Radiocarbon dating has indicated that this prehistoric cat had been buried for 35,000 years.

"For 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," researchers wrote.

Saber-toothed cats, which as their name suggests were known for their huge canine teeth, went extinct around 12,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age.They were once quite common, with fossils found in Eurasia, Africa and the Americas.

Thanks to the preservation of the specimen, scientists were able to describe physical characteristics never seen before such as the texture of the fur, muscle mass and the shape of the muzzle.

The kitten was also found to have wider paws than modern big cats, most likely as an adaptation to enable it to walk more easily across deep snow.

The Siberian permafrost has yielded a treasure trove of preserved prehistoric animal specimens over the years, with some (such as woolly mammoths) being so well preserved that scientists are using them in their efforts to bring the species back to life.

No doubt there are many more specimens still in the ground, just waiting to be found.

Source: NPR.org | Comments (37)

Tags: Sabre-Toothed