'Perfectly Preserved' Horse Skull Dating Back to The Ice Age Found In Yukon Mine Permafrost
An Ice Age finding has come trotting out from a mine in Yukon, Canada. Researchers have detected the remains of what they believe to be a teenage horse from the Ice Age, as reported by Live Science. Horses had a prominent presence in the region between around 50 million and 11,000 years ago, after which they went locally extinct for certain reasons. The remains could be a token of those flourishing times. The horses made a comeback in the region after it was reintroduced by Europeans in the 15th century. Researchers have yet to figure out which species the horse skull belongs to. In order to do that, experts need to conduct more in-depth examinations.
Detection of the Fossil
The skull fossil of the horse was located in a mine at Klondike. The region is predominantly covered in permafrost, and the fossil was buried underneath it. Initially, only the lower jaw and upper skull of the fossil were visible to viewers. Experts had to use several tools, along with water, to unearth the skull from the frozen ground. The discovery happened sometime in June 2025, according to a Facebook post uploaded by Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre. Officials from Yukon Palaeontology took the help of miners in the excavation process, who expedited the excavation by aiming water hoses directly above the skull. The post claimed that the fossil was "perfectly preserved."
Features of the Fossil
Experts observed canines in the skull, which suggested to them that the horse was possibly a male. The canines being just partially erupted implied that the horse was a teenager when it took its last breath. Researchers examined the soil around the skull and also looked into the depths of sediments where the fossil was buried. Both investigations indicated to them that the horse whose skull was found lived around 30,000 years ago. It implies that the horse was a resident of the area during the ice age. Experts believe radiocarbon dating would allow them to arrive at a more precise reading.
The horses that lived in the region during the Ice Age were around 4 feet tall at the shoulders, Cameron Webber from Yuko Tourism and Culture shared. This horse could also be of the same dimensions. However, to confirm its species and features, researchers want to conduct further analysis. The size and shape of the teeth in the skull can reveal insights about the horse's evolutionary history. "Ancient DNA analysis will be needed if an accurate species identification for this find is desired," Webber added.
Other Findings from Yukon
In 2013, another team of researchers announced the discovery of a horse fossil from a gold mine in Yukon, according to Innovation Reports. This fossil was believed to be 700,000 years old and considered to be remarkably well preserved in permafrost. Further analysis revealed that the horse fossil had no association with modern and ancient horse DNA ever sequenced, which were around the same age. It was instead found to be part of a family of modern horses that included Przewalski's Horse from the Mongolian steppes.