Emily Chan
Woolly rhinos lived during the Pleistocene epoch, which occurred 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. They first appeared across northern Eurasia about 300,000 years ago.
They were covered with long, thick hair that helped them survive in the extreme cold. They stood around 6.5 feet tall and could weigh up to 6,000 pounds.
As the last ice age came to an end, their range shrunk in size until they were only left in parts of Siberia. Eventually, they went extinct due to human activity and climate change about 10,000 years ago.
One of their most distinctive features was their two large horns made of keratin. The front horn could grow over three feet in length. The horns were likely used for defense, foraging, and possibly even for attracting mates.
“According to morphological parameters, [the horn] belonged to a mature individual,” Cheprasov said.
“The exact biological age…of the animal will be determined after a comprehensive study of the carcass itself. Then, we will be able to obtain data on anatomical and morphological features, geological age, nutrition, genetic links with previously studied finds, etc.”
The woolly rhino is just one of the ice age megafauna in Siberia being studied. Back in June, researchers analyzed the mummified body of a 44,000-year-old wolf from the permafrost in the Republic of Sakha.
