Ice Age Wolf Pup and Caribou Mummies Discovered in Yukon

Officials in Canada recently announced that gold miners in Yukon territory unearthed a mummified wolf pup and caribou calf, both of which roamed the continent during the Ice Age, CBC News reports. The specimens were found preserved in permafrost in Dawson City in 2016, and researchers used carbon dating to determine that the animals are more than 50,000 years old.

While fossils from this period often turn up in the Yukon, fully intact carcasses are a lot rarer, Yukon government paleontologist Grant Zazula told CBC News. “To our knowledge, this is the only mummified Ice Age wolf ever found in the world,” Zazula said.

The caribou calf carcass—which includes the head, torso, and front limbs—still has its skin, muscle, and hair intact. It was found in an area that contains 80,000-year-old volcanic ash. Observed in a similar condition, the wolf pup still has its head, tail, paws, skin, and hair.

These findings also hold special significance for the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, an indigenous group in the Yukon. “The caribou has fed and clothed our people for thousands of years,” Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Chief Roberta Joseph said in a statement. “The wolf maintains balance within the natural world, keeping the caribou healthy. These were an amazing find, and it’s a great opportunity to work collaboratively with the Government of Yukon and our community partners.”

The Canadian Conservation Institute will be tasked with preserving the animal specimens, and the findings will be displayed in Dawson City until the end of the month. They will later be added to an exhibit at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse.