As early as the 19th century, scientists knew that an elephant-like creature called a mammoth once roamed the forests of Siberia and other parts of the world.
Ancient cave paintings depicting this creature had been found, and some tusks of this animal had been dug up from the ground. But it was not until 1900 that scientists had the opportunity to see this extinct creature as it was thousands of years ago.
An old man who had found the fangs of a mammoth in Siberia led the scientists to the site. There they found the whole body of a mammoth frozen in the permafrost, just where it had died about 15,000 years ago!
The mammoth was about 3 meters long and 4 meters high up to the shoulders. In fact, it was about the size of a modern African elephant. But it was a much hairier beast, and it had a hump on the back of its neck, apart from long spiral fangs. Scientists believe that the mammoth was the largest mammal of its time. But they are not sure when and why this creature died.
The body of the mammoth found in Siberia had been perfectly preserved for tens of centuries, as it had fallen into a swamp, where it sank to the bottom of the frozen earth and died. The mud hardened, locking the mammoth in "deep freezing" for 15,000 years.
When the mammoth was found, it still had food in its teeth and stomach! And when the mammoth flesh thawed, it was fresh enough to be eaten by dogs!
.
