32,000-Year-Old Saber-Tooth Cub Found in Siberian Permafrost

Siberian permafrost has once again amazed scientists with an extraordinary discovery. In 2020, researchers unearthed a remarkably well-preserved saber-tooth cat cub from the frozen ground. This week, a detailed study of the specimen was published in *Nature* journal *Scientific Reports*, shedding light on the ancient predator.

This discovery follows another significant find in 2018, when permafrost revealed an almost perfectly preserved cave lion cub.

The saber-tooth cat mummy includes its entire head, one forelimb, shoulders, rib cage, and a hind leg. To determine the exact species of the saber-tooth cat, the researchers analyzed its skull and dental features.

Radiocarbon dating revealed that the saber-tooth cat cub is approximately 31,800 years old, making it significantly older than the lion cub discovered two years earlier. This means the cub had been dead for about 15,000 years by the time humans began creating the ancient cave paintings at Lascaux.

To better understand the specimen, researchers conducted a comparative analysis with the carcass of a three-week-old lion cub. Using CT scans, they non-invasively examined the mummy’s skeletal structure and reconstructed its skull based on the well-preserved right side, which was slightly deformed.

The analysis identified the cub as a Homotherium latidens, also known as the scimitar-tooth cat. Unlike other saber-tooth predators such as Smilodon, Homotherium had shorter incisors and was built for endurance running. These cats were leaner, with necks over twice as thick as those of modern lion cubs. The findings confirm that Homotherium inhabited parts of present-day Asia during the Late Pleistocene period.

The researchers noted that this is the first time paleontologists have directly studied the external appearance of an extinct mammal with no modern equivalent. They believe this discovery could provide new insights into the ancient ecosystems and the lives of prehistoric animals.

This significant find is expected to deepen our understanding of the Late Pleistocene era and the adaptations of species like Homotherium in their ancient environments.