Baby mammoths Lyuba and Khroma died when just 1 month and 2 months old, respectively

Jul 14, 2014 20:49 GMT  ·  By
Remains of baby woolly mammoths espected to help researchers gain a better understanding of this long-lost species
   Remains of baby woolly mammoths espected to help researchers gain a better understanding of this long-lost species

A paper published earlier this month in the Journal of Paleontology documents the conditions in which two baby woolly mammoths known to the scientific community as Lyuba and Khroma lost their lives tens of thousands of years ago.

The remains of these ancient creatures were unearthed not too long ago in the Siberian Arctic. Apparently, Lyuba and Khroma are the best-preserved baby woolly mammoths to have until now been discovered and studied.

The young animals are estimated to have walked the Earth somewhere around 40,000 years ago. Both woolly mammoths were females, and researchers say they were born to herds about 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) apart.

Based on their anatomy and size, specialists estimate that Lyuba and Khroma were about 1 and 2 months old, respectively, at the time they died. Their death was not caused by health problems, but was instead accidental.

Thus, data obtained while analyzing these long-gone creatures' remains with the help of CT (computerized tomography) scans indicates that both Lyuba and Khroma met their end after inhaling mud and asphyxiating.

Specialists who have had the chance to study these two woolly mammoths' explain that, when their bodies were examined by means of CT scans, both Lyuba and Khroma had traces of sediment in their trunk, their mouth, and even their throat.

Given the fact that, all things considered, these two animals appeared to be in perfectly good health when they suddenly died, researchers maintain that the best possible explanation for their demise is the accidental inhalation of mud.

As explained by Science Daily, the fact that these two ancient creatures were both fairly young at the time they met their doom means that scientists can use information obtained while analyzing their remains to find out more about their species.

Specifically, Lyuba and Khroma's lifeless bodies are expected to help researchers gain a better understanding of what woolly mammoths looked like during their early years and how their anatomy changed by the time they reached adulthood.

“This is the first time anyone's been able to do a comparative study of the skeletal development of two baby mammoths of known age. This allowed us to document the changes that occur as the mammoth body develops,” says University of Michigan paleontologist Daniel Fisher.

“These two exquisitely preserved baby mammoths are like two snapshots in time. We can use them to understand how factors like location and age influenced the way mammoths grew into the huge adults that captivate us today,” adds Zachary T. Calamari of the American Museum of Natural History.