Sabertooth baby found by scientists with fur intact

The saber-toothed tiger, scientifically known as smilodon fatal, It was a prehistoric big cat famous for its long and sharp canines, which could measure up to 20 cm; These teeth protruded from his jaw, hence his characteristic name.. This animal lived during the Pleistocene, approximately between 2.5 million and 10,000 years ago.

It was a robust predator, with a compact body that allowed it to hunt large prey. Although it was not a fast runner, its strength and powerful fangs allowed it to take down and kill its prey effectively. These cats became extinct approximately 10,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age.

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This is what the baby saber-toothed tiger looks like

After so many years of its extinction, scientists have managed to recover the frozen remains of a baby saber-toothed tiger (homotherium latidens) that lived approximately 35,000 years ago.

This specimen, found in the permafrost of Siberiais in an excellent state of preservation: its head, limbs, fur, and even its whiskers and muscles remain intact, offering a look at the characteristics of these ice age cats. The discovery was made near the Badyarikha River, in the Yakutia region, Russia. The calf, which was about three weeks old at the time of its death, was preserved for millennia thanks to the low temperatures of the Siberian tundra.

Radiocarbon dating has confirmed its age and its belonging to the late Pleistocene. According to researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences, this discovery is revolutionary because it allows us to analyze in detail the appearance of an extinct animal. without equivalents in modern fauna.

How is it different from today’s lions?

The small saber-toothed tiger had unique anatomical characteristics that differentiated it from today’s lion cubs (panthera leo). Its neck was considerably thicker, its ears smaller, and its mouth larger. It also had more robust legs and lacked carpal pads, allowing it to move easily on snow-covered surfaces. In addition, its thick fur provided essential protection against freezing temperatures and possible predators.

Pixabay/ Scientific Reports

Despite its excellent state of conservation, The cub had not yet developed the iconic curved fangs of its species, one of the most iconic features of the genus. These teeth, which in adults could reach up to 20 centimeters, were vital tools for hunting large prey such as bison or camels.

The analysis by scientists in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that homotherium latidens was perfectly adapted to its environment. Its anatomy and hunting strategies, based on stealth and lightning attacks, made it a formidable predator during the ice age. Although this species disappeared about 10,000 years ago, the recent discovery in Yakutia expands knowledge about its distribution and habits.

On a technical level, individual hairs from his mustache, muscle tissues and mummified meat could be identified in the mummified remains, something extremely rare in fossils of this antiquity. This level of conservation allows scientists to conduct genetic and anatomical studies that could further clarify the evolutionary connections between these extinct predators and other modern cats. The exact cause of this specimen’s death is still unknown.

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Why did saber teeth become extinct?

Saber-toothed tigers, like smilodon, became extinct about 10,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. The main causes of their extinction include climate change, which brought significant alterations in climate and habitat, affecting the availability of large prey essential for their survival, according to National Geographic reports.

Additionally, competition with other large predators, including humans, reduced their hunting opportunities. The decrease in food resources, due to the disappearance of large herbivores that were their main food source, also contributed to their extinction.. These factors combined caused the saber-toothed tigers to be unable to adapt to the new conditions, leading to their extinction.