Why did Yakutia and northern Siberia become a mammoth cemetery, and where is the scientific explanation for this fact? Unique deposits of mammoth bones found in Siberia

Unraveling the fate of woolly mammoths can shed light on what happened on our planet many tens and hundreds of years ago. Modern paleontologists are studying the remains of these giants in order to find out more precisely what they looked like, what kind of lifestyle they led, who is related to modern elephants, and why they became extinct. The results of the researchers' work will be discussed below.

Mammoths are large herd animals belonging to the elephant family. Representatives of one of their varieties, called the woolly mammoth (mammuthus primigenius), inhabited northern regions Europe, Asia and North America presumably between 300 and 10 thousand years ago. Under favorable climatic conditions, they did not leave the territories of Canada and Siberia, and in tough times crossed the borders of modern China and the USA, ended up in Central Europe and even to Spain and Mexico. At that time, Siberia was also inhabited by many other unusual animals, which paleontologists grouped into a category called “ mammoth fauna" In addition to the mammoth, it includes animals such as the woolly rhinoceros, primitive bison, horse, aurochs, etc.

Many people mistakenly believe that woolly mammoths are the ancestors of modern elephants. In fact, both species simply share a common ancestor, and therefore a close relationship.

What did the animal look like?

According to the description compiled at the end of the 18th century by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, the woolly mammoth is a gigantic animal, the height of which at the withers reached about 3.5 meters with an average weight of 5.5 tons, and a maximum weight of up to 8 tons! The length of the coat, consisting of coarse hair and thick soft undercoat, reached more than a meter. The thickness of the mammoth's skin was almost 2 cm. A 10-centimeter layer of subcutaneous fat, along with wool, served the giants reliable protection by cold. The summer coat was somewhat shorter and not as thick as the winter coat. Most likely, it was black or dark brown in color. Scientists explain the brown color of the specimens found in the ice by the fading of the fur.

According to another version, a thick layer of subcutaneous fat and the presence of wool are evidence that mammoths constantly lived in a warm climate with an abundance of food. Otherwise, how could they gain such significant fat deposits? Scientists who adhere to this opinion cite two types of modern animals as examples: fairly well-fed tropical rhinoceroses and slender reindeer. The presence of wool in a mammoth should also not be considered evidence of a harsh climate, because the Malaysian elephant also has hairline and at the same time feels great, living on the equator itself.

Many thousands of years ago high temperatures in the Far North were provided with the help greenhouse effect, which was caused by the presence of a steam-water dome, due to which abundant vegetation was present in the Arctic. This is confirmed by the many remains of not only mammoths, but also other heat-loving animals. Thus, skeletons of camels, lions and dinosaurs were found in Alaska. And in areas where there are no trees at all these days, thick and rather tall trunks have been found along with the skeletons of mammoths and horses.

Let's return to the description of mammuthus primigenius. The length of the tusks of older individuals reached 4 meters, and the mass of these bony processes twisted upward was more than a hundredweight. The average length of the tusks varied between 2.5 - 3 m with a weight of 40 - 60 kg.

Mammoths also differed from modern elephants in having smaller ears and a trunk, the presence of a special growth on the skull, and a high hump on the back. In addition, the spine of their woolly relative curved sharply downward at the rear.

The most recent woolly mammoths living on Wrangel Island were significantly smaller in size than their ancestors; their height at the withers was slightly less than 2 meters. But despite this, in the era ice age this animal was largest representative fauna throughout Eurasia.

Lifestyle

The basis of the mammoth diet was plant food, the average daily volume of which included almost 500 kg of various greens: grass, leaves, young tree branches and pine needles. This is confirmed by studies of the stomach contents of mammuthus primigenius and indicates that giant animals chose to live in areas where both tundra and steppe flora were present.

The giants lived up to 70–80 years. They became sexually mature at 12–14 years of age. The most viable hypothesis suggests that the lifestyle of these animals was the same as that of elephants. That is, mammoths lived in a group of 2–9 individuals, headed by the eldest female. The males led single image life and joined groups only during the rutting period.

Artifacts

Mammuthus primigenius bones are found in almost all regions northern hemisphere our planet, but the most generous with such “gifts from the past” is Eastern Siberia. During the life of the giants, the climate in this region was not harsh, but soft and temperate.

So, in 1799, on the banks of the Lena, the remains of woolly mammoth, who was called “Lensky”. A century later, this skeleton became the most valuable exhibit of the new St. Petersburg Zoological Museum.

Later on the territory of Russia the following mammoths were found: in 1901 - “Berezovsky” (Yakutia); in 1939 – “Oeshsky” (Novosibirsk region); in 1949 – “Taimyrsky” (Taimyr Peninsula); in 1977 - (Magadan); in 1988 – (Yamal Peninsula); in 2007 – (Yamal Peninsula); in 2009 - baby mammoth Khrom (Yakutia); 2010 – (Yakutia).

The most valuable finds include the “Berezovsky mammoth” and the baby mammoth Khroma - individuals completely frozen in a block of ice. According to paleontologists, they remained captive in ice for more than 30 thousand years. Scientists were able to obtain not only ideal samples of various tissues, but also get acquainted with food from the stomachs of animals that had not had time to digest.

The richest place for mammoth remains is the New Siberian Islands. According to the descriptions of the researchers who discovered them, these territories consist almost entirely of tusks and bones.

Thanks to the collected material, in 2008, researchers from Canada managed to decipher 70% of the woolly mammoth genome, and 8 years later their Russian colleagues completed this ambitious work. For many years painstaking work they were able to assemble about 3.5 billion particles into a single sequence. In this they were helped by the genetic material of the above-mentioned mammoth Chroma.

Reasons for the extinction of mammoths

Scientists around the world have been arguing for two centuries regarding the reasons for the disappearance of woolly mammoths from our planet. During this time, many hypotheses have been put forward, the most viable of which is considered cold snap caused by the destruction of the steam-water dome.

This could happen by various reasons, for example, due to an asteroid falling to Earth. Heavenly body during the fall, the once united continent was split, as a result of which the water vapor above the planet’s atmosphere first condensed and then poured out in heavy rain (about 12 m of precipitation). This provoked intense movement of powerful mud flows, which along their path carried away animals and formed stratigraphic layers. With the disappearance of the greenhouse dome, the Arctic was covered with ice and snow. As a result of this, all representatives of the fauna were instantly buried in permafrost. This is why some woolly mammoths are found “fresh frozen” with clovers, buttercups, wild legumes and gladioli in their mouths or stomachs. Neither the listed plants, nor even their distant relatives now grow in Siberia. Because of this, paleontologists insist on the version that mammoths were killed at lightning speed due to a climate disaster.

This assumption interested paleoclimatologists and they, taking the drilling results as a basis, came to the conclusion that in the period from 130 to 70 thousand years ago, northern territories, located between 55 and 70 degrees, a fairly mild climate reigned. It can be compared with modern climate northern Spain.

Many prehistoric animals arouse burning curiosity among our contemporaries. Take, for example, mammoths, images of which flash on the pages of zoology textbooks and television screens. Were they the progenitors of the current representatives of the fauna world, and for what reason did they die out? The answers to these questions concern many to this day. We will try to analyze how a mammoth differs from an elephant.

Definitions

Mammoth- an extinct species of mammals belonging to the elephant family and living in Quaternary period. Were distributed throughout the area modern Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Numerous bones of these animals were found in sites of ancient people. In Alaska and Siberia, there are known cases of the discovery of mammoth corpses, preserved due to centuries of exposure to permafrost. Most representatives of the species became extinct about 10 thousand years ago during the Vistula Ice Age.

Elephant- a representative of the family of mammals of the order Proboscidea. It is the largest land animal. The lifespan of an elephant is equal to that of a human and reaches an average of 70 years. This sole representative of the fauna world, which cannot jump. Surprisingly, such a large and clumsy animal is capable of developing an impressive speed when running (about 30 km/h). In addition, elephants swim quite well. They can cover distances of tens of kilometers through water. At the same time, animals do not need long sleep - four hours of rest a day is enough for them.

Comparison

Let's start with the fact that the average height of a prehistoric animal was about 2 meters, and its weight reached 900 kg. These indicators are quite comparable to the parameters of modern elephants. However, there were subspecies of mammoths that were about 4-6 meters tall and weighed up to 12 tons. The body, head and trunk of the animal were covered with thick hair of a light brown or yellowish-brown hue. The mammal's superbly developed sebaceous glands increased the thermal insulation properties of its fur. The 8-10 centimeter subcutaneous fat layer also perfectly protected the animal from the cold. The large, pointed head of the mammoth had huge curved tusks, the length of which sometimes reached 4 meters. It is believed that they were used not only for reasons of self-defense, but also to obtain food. With their help, animals stripped bark from trees, dug up food under a thick layer of ice, etc.

Another difference between a mammoth and an elephant is the size of the ears. In extinct animals they were small (about 30 cm in length) and tightly pressed to the head. Whereas an elephant's ears stick out to the side. Their average length is 180 cm. It is also worth noting that the trunk and tail of the mammoth were significantly shorter than those of the elephant. On the back of the prehistoric animal there was a hump in which fat reserves accumulated. Tall mammoth teeth with big amount thin dentin-enamel plates were adapted for chewing rough plant food. The animals' feet had very thick (almost horn-like) soles, reaching 50 cm in diameter. The feet of their modern relatives are particularly sensitive. Thanks to the thick “cushions” located on them, they move almost silently.

A comparative table will help you find a more complete answer to the question of what is the difference between a mammoth and an elephant.

Volchya Griva - 11-meter hill in the Kargatsky district Novosibirsk region about 8 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide. During excavations in 1957, the bones of a mammoth, bison and horse were first found here, and further research made it possible to establish that 14-11 thousand years ago the last Siberian mammoths. In those days, Wolf Mane was a long and narrow peninsula among swamps and lakes, which ended in a steep cliff. Today it is a paleontological natural monument of regional significance.

In 2015, more than 600 remains of mammoths of the species Mammuthus primigenius were discovered on the hill, which is the largest local concentration for this species in Asia. The 2016 season brought a new discovery: scientists and students of Tomsk state university(TSU) discovered a deep bone-bearing level, the existence of which no one suspected. At a depth of approximately 1.7 to 2.1 meters lay the bones of baby and adult mammoths, which were significantly larger than their younger (geologically speaking) relatives. This alone could be called a success of the expedition, however, as the head of the laboratory of Mesozoic and Cenozoic ecosystems Sergei Leshchinsky explained, there is an unspoken rule “of the need to check the underlying sediments with at least two shovels.” A random test showed that subsequent excavations would take at least another ten days. As a result, paleontologists discovered vertebrae, ribs, limb bones and other bone deposits with the highest degree concentration: per one square meter there were more than 100 fragments. Such a high number of remains of prehistoric animals is not found either on Volchaya Griva or in any other mammoth locality in Russia. The remains of woolly mammoths, which lay at such a deep level for Volchya Mane, are well preserved: not only individual fragments were found, but also anatomical joints, which will allow paleontologists to obtain more information about the place and causes of death of animals, determine their age, size and other parameters . This was the result of the peculiarities of the burial: layers of clay and sand preserved the remains of animals in a small ravine several years after their death. Among the largest fragments found is a femur almost 1 meter 15 centimeters long. It probably belonged to a male mammoth, 45–50 years old, whose weight was 5–6 tons or even more, and whose height, including soft tissues, exceeded three meters. Its remains lay in the rocks for 25-30 thousand years. Scientists note big difference in sizes between mammoths from the lower and more high levels. This is explained by the fact that in the final period of its existence this species of animal experienced powerful pressure from unfavorable environmental factors. Judging by the fact that many remains of late mammoths show signs of osteodystrophy, the animals suffered from mineral starvation. This is what brought them to animal salt licks like Volchya Mane. In total, the 2016 expedition discovered 785 fragments. In addition to mammoths, several bones were found that belonged to bison, horses, predators (probably fox or arctic fox) and rodents. Check out one of the versions

The mammoth is a mystery that has aroused the curiosity of researchers for more than two hundred years. What were they like, how did they live and why did they die out? All these questions still do not have exact answers. Some scientists blame them mass death famine, the second - the ice age, the third - ancient hunters who destroyed herds for meat, skins and tusks. There is no official version.

Who are mammoths

The ancient mammoth was a mammal belonging to the elephant family. The main species had sizes comparable to those of their close relatives - elephants. Their weight often did not exceed 900 kg, and their height did not exceed 2 meters. However, there were more “representative” varieties, whose weight reached 13 tons and height - 6 meters.

Mammoths differed from elephants in having a more bulky body, short legs and long hair. Characteristic sign- curved big tusks, which were used by prehistoric animals to dig out food from under snow debris. They also had molars with a large number dentinoenamel thin plates that served for processing fibrous roughage.

Appearance

Skeletal structure possessed ancient mammoth, is in many ways reminiscent of the structure of the Indian elephant living today. Of greatest interest are the giant tusks, the length of which could reach up to 4 meters and weight up to 100 kg. They were located in the upper jaw, grew forward and bent upward, “spreading” to the sides.

The tail and ears, pressed tightly to the skull, were small in size, there was a straight black bang on the head, and a hump stood out on the back. The large body with a slightly lowered rear was based on stable legs-pillars. The legs had an almost horn-like (very thick) sole, reaching a diameter of 50 cm.

The coat had a light brown or yellowish-brown tint, the tail, legs and withers were decorated with noticeable black spots. The fur “skirt” fell from the sides, almost reaching the ground. The “clothes” of prehistoric animals were very warm.

Tusk

A mammoth is an animal whose tusk was unique not only for its increased strength, but also for its unique range of colors. The bones lay underground for several thousand years and underwent mineralization. Their shades have acquired a wide range - from purple to snow-white. Darkening, which occurs as a result of the work of nature, increases the value of the tusk.

The tusks of prehistoric animals were not as perfect as the tools of elephants. They were easily worn down and developed cracks. It is believed that mammoths used them to obtain food for themselves - branches, tree bark. Sometimes animals formed 4 tusks, the second pair was thin and often fused with the main one.

Unique colors make mammoth tusks popular in the production of luxury boxes, snuff boxes, and chess sets. They are used to create gift figurines, ladies' jewelry, expensive weapons. Artificial reproduction of special colors is not possible, which explains the high cost of products created from mammoth tusks. Real ones, of course, not fake ones.

Everyday life of mammoths

60 years - average duration the lives of giants who lived on earth several thousand years ago. Mammoth - it served mainly as food herbaceous plants, tree shoots, small shrubs, moss. The daily norm is about 250 kg of vegetation, which forced the animals to spend about 18 hours daily on feeding and constantly change their location in search of fresh pastures.

Researchers are convinced that mammoths practiced a herd lifestyle and gathered in small groups. The standard group consisted of 9-10 adult representatives of the species, and cubs were also present. As a rule, the role of leader of the herd was assigned to the oldest female.

By the age of 10, the animals reached sexual maturity. At this time, matured males left the maternal herd, moving to a solitary existence.

Habitat

Modern research has established that mammoths, which appeared on earth approximately 4.8 million years ago, disappeared only about 4 thousand years ago, and not 9-10, as previously thought. These animals lived on the lands of North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Bones of mighty animals, drawings and sculptures depicting them are often discovered at the sites of ancient inhabitants

Mammoths in Russia were also common in large quantities, Siberia is especially famous for its interesting finds. A huge “cemetery” of these animals was discovered in Khanty-Mansiysk, even a monument was erected in their honor. By the way, it was in the lower reaches of the Lena that the remains of a mammoth were first (officially) found.

Mammoths, or rather their remains, are still being discovered in Russia.

Causes of extinction

Until now, the history of mammoths has large gaps. In particular, this concerns the reasons for their extinction. A wide variety of versions have been put forward. The original hypothesis was proposed by Jean Baptiste Lamarck. According to the scientist, absolute extinction biological species is not possible, he only turns into another. However, official descendants of mammoths have not yet been identified.

I disagree with my colleague, blaming the death of mammoths on a flood (or other global disasters that took place during the period of extinction of the population). He argues that the Earth has often experienced short-term catastrophes that completely exterminated a particular species.

Brocchi, a paleontologist originally from Italy, believes that every living creature on the planet has a certain period of existence. The scientist compares the disappearance of entire species with the aging and death of an organism, which is why, in his opinion, it ended mysterious story mammoths

The most popular theory, which has many adherents in the scientific community, is climate theory. About 15-10 thousand years ago due to northern zone the tundra-steppe became a swamp, the southern one was filled coniferous forests. The grasses that previously formed the basis of the animals’ diet were replaced by moss and branches, which, according to scientists, led to their extinction.

Ancient hunters

How the first people hunted mammoths has not yet been established exactly. It was the hunters of those times who are often accused of exterminating large animals. This version is supported by products made from tusks and skins, which are constantly discovered in the sites of the inhabitants of ancient times.

However, modern research makes this assumption increasingly questionable. According to a number of scientists, people only finished off weak and sick representatives of the species, without hunting healthy ones. Bogdanov, the creator of the work “Secrets of the Lost Civilization,” gives reasonable arguments in favor of the impossibility of hunting mammoths. He believes that the weapons that the residents possessed ancient earth, it is simply impossible to pierce the skin of these animals.

Another compelling argument is the stringy, tough meat, almost unsuitable for food.

Close relatives

Elefas primigenius - this is the name of mammoths in Latin. The name indicates their close relationship with elephants, since the translation sounds like “first-born elephant.” There are even hypotheses that the mammoth is the progenitor of modern elephants, which were the result of evolution, adaptation to a warm climate.

A study by German scientists who compared the DNA of a mammoth and an elephant suggests that Indian elephant and mammoth are two branches whose genealogy is traced back to African elephant for about 6 million years now. The ancestor of this animal has been shown modern discoveries, lived on Earth approximately 7 million years ago, which makes the version valid.

Known specimens

“The Last Mammoth” is a title that can be assigned to baby Dimka, a six-month-old mammoth whose remains were found by workers in 1977 near Magadan. About 40 thousand years ago, this baby fell through the ice, which caused his mummification. This is by far the best preserved specimen yet discovered by mankind. Dimka has become a source of valuable information for those researching the extinct species.

Equally famous is the Adams mammoth, which became the first full-fledged skeleton to be shown to the public. This happened back in 1808, since then the copy has been located in the Museum of the Academy of Sciences. The find belonged to the hunter Osip Shumakhov, who lived by collecting mammoth bones.

The Berezovsky mammoth has a similar story; it was also found by a tusk hunter on the banks of one of the rivers in Siberia. The conditions for excavating the remains could not be called favorable; the extraction was carried out in parts. The preserved mammoth bones became the basis for a giant skeleton, and soft tissues became the object of research. Death overtook the animal at the age of 55.

Matilda, female prehistoric appearance, and the schoolchildren discovered it. An event happened in 1939, the remains were discovered on the banks of the Oesh River.

Revival is possible

Modern researchers never cease to be interested in such a prehistoric animal as the mammoth. The significance of prehistoric finds for science is nothing other than the motivation underlying all attempts to resurrect it. So far, attempts to clone the extinct species have not yielded tangible results. This is due to the lack of material of the required quality. However, research in this area is not going to stop. Currently, scientists are relying on the remains of a female found not so long ago. The specimen is valuable because it has preserved liquid blood.

Despite the cloning failure, it has been proven that the appearance ancient inhabitant The earth is restored exactly, as are his habits. Mammoths look exactly as they are presented on the pages of textbooks. The most interesting discovery is that the closer the period of residence of a discovered biological species to our time, the more fragile its skeleton is.

It is believed that the word “mammoth” comes from the phrase “mang ont”, which translated from Mansi means “earthen horn”. Then it spread to other languages ​​of the world, including English. These huge animals lived during the Pleistocene era. They inhabited the territory of Europe, Northern Asia and North America. Many researchers and archaeologists are still concerned with the mystery: how did these animals disappear from the face of the Earth?

Finds on the territory of Russia

The mammoth is an extinct species of animal. He is one of the closest relatives of the elephant. Scientists still argue about when mammoths became extinct. At excavations of sites of ancient man, which belong to stone age, drawings of these animals were found. IN Voronezh region archaeologists have discovered mammoth bones. Ancient man used them to build his home. There is an assumption that they were also used as fuel.

In both Siberia and Alaska, researchers found mammoth corpses that were preserved thanks to permafrost. In Oleg Kuvaev’s book entitled “Territory” you can even read a story about how one of the archaeologists knitted himself a sweater from the wool of an ancient animal. Scientists are finding remains of mammoth bones in the most unexpected places. Teeth and bones are often found in the Moscow region and even in the capital itself.

Appearance of animals

Mammoths were no larger in size than a modern elephant. However, their torso was more massive, and their limbs were shorter. The wool of mammoths was long, and at the top of their jaws they had menacing tusks up to 4 meters long. In winter, with the help of these tusks, like a bulldozer, the animals shoveled snow. Some subspecies of mammoths reached unprecedented weight - as much as 10.5 tons.

Inhabitants of Wrangel Island

There are many theories about when mammoths became extinct. One of them belongs to the candidate of geological sciences Sergei Vartanyan. In 1993, on the territory of Wrangel Island, he discovered the remains of the so-called dwarf mammoths. Their height did not exceed 1.8 m. Researchers, using radiocarbon dating, came to the conclusion that mammoths could have lived here 3.7 thousand years ago.

Before this discovery, scientists believed that the last mammoths could have lived in Taimyr about 10 thousand years ago. The scientist’s find showed that these animals lived on Wrangel Island simultaneously with the flourishing of the Minoan culture on the territory of the island. Crete, Sumerian civilization, and the 11th dynasty of pharaohs in Egypt.

Basic Assumptions

Currently, there are two main hypotheses that explain why mammoths became extinct. According to the first, this was due to deterioration climatic conditions. Proponents of another hypothesis believe that the main cause was human activity - hunting. During the Upper Paleolithic era, people had already settled throughout the Earth. It was at this time that these huge animals were exterminated.

Main hypothesis

Research shows that mammoths began to die out as a species quite a long time ago - about 120 thousand years ago. The final disappearance occurred at the boundary between two ice ages. Gradually the population decreased from several million to tens of thousands. During the Ice Age, it was so cold on Earth that the grass that these animals ate became very rare. The meadows in the north gradually began to turn into forests and tundra. The result of the disappearance of this species was precisely the cooling due to the onset of the Ice Age.

Epidemic hypothesis

The mammoth is an extinct animal, but it is very difficult to say why this species disappeared from the face of the Earth. There is another theory: American scientists Preston Max and Ross McPhee hypothesized that the cause could be an epidemic. The people who then shared territory with mammoths were able to adapt and survive. And it was more difficult for animals to develop immunity due to their huge size and slowness. When mammoths became infected, they went to water bodies and died there. Scientists have noticed that greatest number The burial places of these animals are located precisely on the banks of rivers and lakes.

However, some finds by archaeologists do not support this hypothesis: scientists often find undigested food in the stomachs of animals, and the remains of grass in the mouths. Apparently, the moment when mammoths became extinct happened completely suddenly.

Invasion from Space

There is another hypothesis about why mammoths became extinct and when. It is believed that they could have been destroyed by a huge comet that collided with the Earth 13 thousand years ago. Because of this comet, researchers believe, people were forced to take up farming. Archaeologists discovered evidence of the collision in southern Turkey. The comet destroyed not only mammoths, but also other types of animals. It was because of this that people had to abandon hunting and gathering and switch to agricultural work.

Disappearance due to incest

There is another theory according to which the last mammoths remaining on the island. Wrangel, became extinct due to inbreeding. This term refers to inbreeding, which results in various deformities and genetic abnormalities. Thus, the extinction of these animals was due to a reduction in genetic diversity. On the territory of the island. There were about 500-1000 individuals living in Wrangel - at least that’s the estimate scientists give. And 500 individuals is minimal amount, which is necessary for the survival of any species of endangered animals.

The approximate time when mammoths, or rather the last of their representatives, became extinct is about 4 thousand years ago. However, shortly before the death of this population, another small group of animals was struggling to survive on modern territory St. Paul's Island. It is located between the coast of Alaska and the Far East.

Why did mammoths become extinct?

In 3rd grade, students study this topic. Children need to have a very clear explanation of the reasons for the disappearance of these animals. Therefore, we can recommend that students and their parents use the main two hypotheses about the disappearance of these ancient animals. However, in addition to two assumptions that mammoths were exterminated by hunters and that they could have disappeared from the face of the Earth due to worsening climatic conditions, homework Other theories can also be covered. For example, extinction due to a comet collision or due to inbreeding.

Arguments against hypotheses

Many archaeologists do not agree with the hypothesis that these animals disappeared due to hunting. For example, about 13 thousand years ago ancient man has already mastered the entire space of Siberia. However, the time when the last mammoths died out in this territory was about 10 thousand years ago. Researchers note that hunting animals of this size was dangerous and impractical. In addition, installing traps in frozen ground probably took a lot of time and effort, especially considering that it was done using rather primitive tools.

However, other animals also disappeared from the planet at the same time that mammoths became extinct. The history of the world has evidence that during the same era, wild horses that lived in the vastness of America also disappeared. Researchers have a logical question: if mammoths became extinct, why did their contemporaries survive: bison, caribou, musk oxen?

In addition, a wild horse, the tarpan, survived, which was exterminated only in the second half of the 19th century. Despite the abundance of hypotheses, it is believed that the most substantiated theory is the impact of the Ice Age. A study conducted by American scientist Dale Gharty confirms the climate hypothesis. The scientist came to the conclusion about its reliability after studying hundreds of remains of mammoths and people. Mammoths easily carried severe frost, but when it got warmer, the snow froze on them long hair, and it was a real disaster. The fur became an icy shell, which in no way protected the animal from the cold.

Bone disease

Another assumption was made by scientists who conducted a study of the remains of animals found in Kemerovo region. Archaeologists believe that mammoths could have disappeared here due to bone disease - there was a decrease in calcium levels in local waters. The animals tried to find salt licks to make up for this deficiency, but this did not help them escape. An ancient man was guarding the weakened mammoths. Each of the hypotheses has the right to exist - after all, if none of the assumptions can be proven, then they cannot be refuted.