Did early humans interact with woolly mammoths?
With the kids out of school and fathers gearing up for their annual day of celebration, one could overlook the engaging new programming on television. Case in point: On Saturday, June 16, Discovery Channel will premiere a one-hour special about an investigation in the Siberian permafrost that found a “beautifully preserved frozen mammoth carcass,” nicknamed Yuka.
Finding a woolly mammoth’s bones is typically news enough, but the discovery by Bernard Buigues hints toward something deeper. The fossils may be the first sign of human interaction with woolly mammoths in the this remote part of the world. This large elephant with its iconic red fur may, in fact, tell us more about our human history than our animal history.
• Preliminary results show that the mammoth was likely attacked twice by lions. The second attack probably killed the creature. But here’s the mystery: Unusual cut marks on the carcass might mean that humans were involved after it perished.
• Because Yuka was preserved in the ice, much of its characteristic red coat is still intact. The flesh is still present and even pink in some places.
• With the rising temperatures, discoveries like Yuka will likely become more frequent. As the ice thaws and our planet faces further difficulties from climate change, our past will begin to mold with our future.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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Woolly Mammoth: Secrets from the Ice premieres Saturday, June 16 at 9 p.m. on Discovery Channel.
