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# The ice age lion cubs found in Siberia are 28,000 years old
The discovery offers insight into the evolution of cave lions
In the fall of 2018, researchers at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Jakuck, Arctic Siberia, seven meters underground, discovered a beautifully preserved corpse of an Ice Age animal, namely a 28,000-year-old cave lion cub.
The puppy had intact teeth, skin, claws, even a mustache. Initially, it was named Spartak, but genetic tests revealed that it was a female, so they renamed it Sparta, reports the Euronews portal. It was discovered just 15 meters from another lion cub named Boris, which had been discovered by locals a year earlier.
At first, they thought the cubs were related, but a study published this week found that they lived more than 15,000 years apart. Boris is 43,448 years old.
The cave lion became extinct about 14,000 years ago. Researchers, including the best paleontologists from Russia, Sweden, Japan, the US and the UK, were therefore greatly surprised as the puppy looked as if it had died two years ago.
Both pups were brought to Jakuck in November 2018 and January 2019 and then tested in detail for infectious diseases, including anthrax.
New research has found that both pups were only a month to two years old at the time of death. There are no signs on them that they were killed, which means that they may have fallen and got stuck somewhere, or died under an avalanche.
The discovery also offered new findings on the development of the Eurasian cave lion. The furs of the cubs found were similar to the furs of today's African lions, but with long and thick fur that would protect them from the cold.
Scientists have also found that their teeth grew earlier than in today’s African lions. The reason is said to be harsher winters, which is why the pups had to get their teeth earlier so they could eat meat sooner.
## continue reading:
* [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/13/well-preserved-28000-year-old-lion-cub-found-in-siberian-permafrost](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/13/well-preserved-28000-year-old-lion-cub-found-in-siberian-permafrost)
* [https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/05/world/frozen-cave-lion-cubs-siberia-scn/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/05/world/frozen-cave-lion-cubs-siberia-scn/index.html)
* [https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/08/06/stunning-ice-age-lion-cub-found-in-siberia-russia-is-28-000-years-old-scientists-say](https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/08/06/stunning-ice-age-lion-cub-found-in-siberia-russia-is-28-000-years-old-scientists-say)
* [https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article35911682.ece](https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article35911682.ece)
* [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/near-perfect-cave-lion-cub-corpse-found-siberian-permafrost-180978403/](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/near-perfect-cave-lion-cub-corpse-found-siberian-permafrost-180978403/)
* [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/b1902619.html](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/b1902619.html)
* [https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/n1276137](https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/n1276137)
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