Far beyond the Arctic Circle lies a remote cluster of isolated Siberian islands, where freezing temperatures have long preserved a world locked in ice. Against this icy backdrop, a daring expedition comprised of ivory traders and scientists set out to explore this frigid terrain in search of ancient relics hidden within the thawing permafrost.

On the Lyakhovsky Islands, nestled amidst the unforgiving landscape, a monumental discovery has emerged — a fully intact adult cave bear. This remarkable find showcases the bear’s posture, teeth, and even its internal organs, perfectly preserved for millennia.

Scientists estimate this cave bear perished anywhere from 22,000 to 39,500 years ago, belonging to the species Ursus spelaeus, which thrived during the last ice age before facing extinction around 15,000 years ago.The initial discovery of this pristine carcass was made by vigilant reindeer herders, who promptly alerted researchers at the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, Russia.

“This discovery marks an unprecedented milestone — a complete bear carcass with its soft tissues intact,” exclaimed NEFU researcher Lena Grigorieva in a press release announcing the find.Until now, scientists had only unearthed cave bear skeletons, never encountering an entirely intact specimen of this magnitude.Cave bears once roamed the landscapes of Europe and Asia, coexisting with mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and colossal ground sloths amidst vast glaciers. These creatures were colossal, with males weighing up to 1 ton or 2,200 pounds, surpassing the size of today’s largest bears by about 500 pounds.

Grigorieva and her team stress that the bear’s age remains an estimate pending more precise carbon dating. Additionally, they anticipate delving deeper into the carcass for further analysis and conducting genetic studies.

Comparative DNA analysis is a possibility as another cave bear cub was recently discovered in Yakutia, Russia, raising hopes of uncovering more about these ancient creatures through genetic similarities and differences.

As global temperatures rise, the once-frozen Siberian permafrost, preserving remnants of an ancient era, begins to melt. Emerging from this thaw are ice-age creatures entombed within, after lying frozen for tens of thousands of years.

The Lyakhovsky Islands, the bear’s discovery site, have yielded a trove of woolly mammoth remains dating back to the last ice age.

In recent times, a 40,000-year-old severed wolf’s head, complete with fur, teeth, brain, and facial tissue, was found on the banks of a river in Yakutia, showcasing the diverse range of ancient species preserved in the region.

Among the frozen treasures discovered in the Yakutia ice are two extinct cave-lion cubs and a 42,000-year-old foal.

With temperatures continuing to rise, the anticipation grows for more discoveries, offering glimpses into Earth’s ancient past hidden within the thawing Siberian permafrost.”