40,000-year-old foal remains intact as if sleeping

Scientists in Siberia have discovered the fossilized remains of an extinct Paleolithic foal in near-perfect condition,Science AlertDug out of the permafrost of Siberia's Batagaika crater, also known as the "Road to Hades," the tiny foal is so intact it looks like it's sleeping. But it died between 30,000 and 40,000 years ago.

After local residents discovered the horse, a team of researchers from Japan and Russia excavated the fossil and took it to the Mammoth Museum at Northeastern Federal University in Yakutsk. "This is the first discovery in the world of such a young prehistoric horse in such an excellent state of preservation," said Semyon Grigoryev, head of the museum's laboratory.

The foal was only 2-3 months old when it died, measuring 98 cm from hoof to shoulder, dark brown in color, with its mane, tail, and hooves intact. Even its internal organs were preserved under the permafrost. According to the research team, this horse species is very different from those living in Yakutia today. This is the Lena horse (Equus lenensis), which roamed the region in the late Pleistocene, now extinct and known only from mummies found underground.

Researchers took hair, fluid, biological fluids and soil samples from the site where the horse was found to conduct a series of comprehensive tests, including an autopsy, to determine the cause of death. Interestingly, there were no visible injuries on its body. "The team of experts who participated in the expedition concluded that the horse could have drowned after falling into some kind of natural trap," explained researcher Grigory Savvinov of Northeastern Federal University.

In addition to revealing the cause of death, the autopsy will also help scientists better understand the horse’s life. They plan to analyze the contents of its stomach to learn more about its diet. Permafrost is a rich source of information about life in the Ice Age.