In 2018, a gold miner, going about his usual business found a mysterious fur ball in the Klondike gold fields near Dawson City, Yukon in Canada. At the time, the object seemed unidentifiable and clearly was not a gold nugget as the miner had set out to find.

In 2018, a gold miner, going about his usual business found a mysterious fur ball in the Klondike gold fields near Dawson City, Yukon in Canada. At the time, the object seemed unidentifiable and clearly was not a gold nugget as the miner had set out to find. However, five years later, scientists have revealed that the mangled 'brown blob' of fur is a perfectly preserved Arctic ground squirrel that lived roughly 30,000 years ago during the Ice Age. Having spent thousands of years in the permafrost, the mummified squirrel's remains were too fragile to decipher. "Arctic ground squirrels are tiny of course, it's curled up in a ball, so just by looking at it it's hard to tell what it is," said Grant Zazula, a Yukon government palaeontologist. Hence, the researchers sought the help of a veterinarian with an X-ray machine to solve the mystery. Jess Heath, a veterinarian at the Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre conducted the X-ray scans and revealed that the tiny glob was actually a curled-up Arctic ground squirrel. "We could see that it was in great condition and it was just curled up like it was sleeping," Heath was quoted as saying by CBC. ALSO READ | Fossil discovery of THIS 250-million-year-old marine reptile could rewrite history "When you see the X-ray, you can see this curled-up skeleton, and the head, and the leg bones, and whatnot, and the tail, all curled up together and it looks amazing under the X-ray," added Zazula. The little squirrel likely died while hibernating and through nature's unique ways, was mummified. The palaeontologists who discovered the squirrel's age have named it “Hester” because it was found near Canada’s Hester Creek. Notably, the area where Hester was discovered is not far from the Alaskan border and has already produced several well-preserved fossils like giant beavers, wolf pup and a baby mammoth from the ice age. WATCH | Israel: New early human discovered in 130,000-year-old fossils × The squirrel discovered belongs to the same species of Arctic ground squirrel that still frequents the Yukon today. They make underground nests for their hibernations and it is perhaps the reason why Hester's nest was preserved for so long. The unique specimen will soon go on display at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Center in Whitehorse, Canada for the public to closely observe Hester, who once roamed around the Yukon several thousand years ago. "You’ll be able to see this incredible specimen on display at the Beringia Centre very soon! This fossil, along with many others will be incorporated into our new exhibits," the museum announced on its Facebook account. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Canada: ‘Brown blob’ found by gold digger turns out to be mummified 30,000-year-old squirrel

Canadian gold miners have found the remains of a rare mummified baby woolly mammoth that froze over 30,000 years ago in the Klondike gold fields.

According to a news release from the Yukon government and Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation, miners were working on the Eureka Creek when they made the discovery.

The mammoth calf, which is the most complete mummified mammoth found in North America, has been named Nun cho ga by the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin Elders.

Nun cho ga, which means "big baby animal" in the Hän language, likely roamed the Yukon with wild horses, cave lions, and giant steppe bison.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/steps-enough-for-two-rounds-of-earth-scientists-discover-woolly-mammoths-massive-lifetime-mileage-405081">Also read |&nbsp;Steps enough for two rounds of Earth: Scientists discover woolly mammoth's massive lifetime mileage</a>

After the discovery, Minister of Tourism and Culture Ranj Pillai said ''The Yukon has always been an internationally renowned leader for ice age and Beringia research. We are thrilled about this significant discovery of a mummified woolly mammoth calf: Nun cho ga.''&nbsp;

''Without strong partnerships between placer miners, Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin, and the Yukon government, discoveries like this could not happen,'' Pillai added.

''This is as a remarkable recovery for our First Nation, and we look forward to collaborating with the Yukon government on the next steps in the process for moving forward with these remains in a way that honours our traditions, culture, and laws,'' said Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Chief Roberta Joseph.

Woolly mammoths roamed North America, Asia, and Europe from about 300,000 years ago up until around 10,000 years ago, according to palaeontologists.

(With inputs from agencies)

Watch WION's live TV here:

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Canadian gold miners have found the remains of a rare mummified baby woolly mammoth that froze over 30,000 years ago in the Klondike gold fields. According to a news release from the Yukon government and Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation, miners were working on the Eureka Creek when they made the discovery.

Canadian gold miners have found the remains of a rare mummified baby woolly mammoth that froze over 30,000 years ago in the Klondike gold fields. According to a news release from the Yukon government and Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation, miners were working on the Eureka Creek when they made the discovery. The mammoth calf, which is the most complete mummified mammoth found in North America, has been named Nun cho ga by the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin Elders. Nun cho ga, which means "big baby animal" in the Hän language, likely roamed the Yukon with wild horses, cave lions, and giant steppe bison. Also read | Steps enough for two rounds of Earth: Scientists discover woolly mammoth's massive lifetime mileage After the discovery, Minister of Tourism and Culture Ranj Pillai said ''The Yukon has always been an internationally renowned leader for ice age and Beringia research. We are thrilled about this significant discovery of a mummified woolly mammoth calf: Nun cho ga.'' ''Without strong partnerships between placer miners, Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin, and the Yukon government, discoveries like this could not happen,'' Pillai added. ''This is as a remarkable recovery for our First Nation, and we look forward to collaborating with the Yukon government on the next steps in the process for moving forward with these remains in a way that honours our traditions, culture, and laws,'' said Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Chief Roberta Joseph. Woolly mammoths roamed North America, Asia, and Europe from about 300,000 years ago up until around 10,000 years ago, according to palaeontologists. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Rare mummified baby woolly mammoth, frozen over 30,000 years ago, found by Canadian gold miners

Scientists have discovered a&nbsp;17,000-year-old woolly mammoth's massive lifetime mileage through its tusks.

Researchers say they have&nbsp;proven that the huge beast was a long-distance wanderer, walking the equivalent of twice around the world during a life lasting 28 years.

The findings, published&nbsp;in the journal&nbsp;Science, could shed light on theories about why the mammoth, whose teeth were bigger than the human fist, became extinct.

"In all popular culture,&nbsp;for example, if you watch (the cartoon) 'Ice Age', there are always mammoths who move around a lot," said Clement Bataille, assistant professor at the University of Ottawa and one of the lead authors of the study.

But there is no clear reason why mammoths should have trekked great distances "because it is such an enormous animal that moving around uses a lot of energy," he said.

The researchers were amazed by the results: the mammoth they studied probably walked around 70,000 kilometres (43,500 miles) and did not stay just on the plains of Alaska as they expected.

"We see that it traveled throughout Alaska, so an immense territory," said Bataille. "It was really a surprise."

Readings on a tusk&nbsp;

For their study, the researchers selected the tusks of a male woolly mammoth who lived at the end of the last ice age.

The animal, named "Kik" after a local river, lived relatively close to the time of the extinction of the species, around 13,000 years ago.

One of the two tusks was cut in half to take readings of strontium isotope ratios.

Strontium is a chemical element similar to limestone and is present in the soil. It is transmitted to vegetation and, when eaten, is deposited in bones, teeth... or tusks.

The tusks grow throughout a mammal's life, with the tip reflecting the first years of life, and the base representing the final years.

Isotope ratios are different depending on geology, and Bataille developed an isotopic map of the region.

By comparing it with the data from the tusks, it was possible to track when and where the mammoth had been.

At the time, glaciers covered all of the Brooks Range of mountains in the north and the Alaska Range in the south, with the plain of the Yukon River in the center.

The animal returned regularly to some areas, where it could stay for several years. But his movements also changed greatly depending on his age, before he eventually died of hunger.

During the first two years of his life, researchers were even able to observe signs of breastfeeding.

"What was really surprising was that after the teenage years, the isotopic variations start to be much more important," said Bataille.

The mammoth has "three or four times in its life, made an immense journey of 500, 600 even 700 kilometres, in a few months."

Scientists say the male may have been solitary, and moving from herd to herd to reproduce. Or he could have been facing a drought or a harsh winter, forcing him to seek a new area where food was more plentiful.

Lessons for today?&nbsp;

Whether for genetic diversity or due to scarce resources, it is "clear that this species needed an extremely large area" to live," said Bataille.

But, at the time of the transition from the ice age to the interglacial period, when they were extinct, "the area shrank because more forests grew" and "humans put quite a lot of pressure on southern Alaska, where mammoths probably moved much less."

Understanding factors that led to the disappearance of mammoths may help protect other threatened megafauna species, such as caribou or elephants.

With today's climate changing, and humans often restricting big species to parks and reserves, Bataille said, "do we want our children 1,000 years from now to view elephants the same way we view mammoths today?"

(With inputs from Agencies)

Scientists have discovered a 17,000-year-old woolly mammoth's massive lifetime mileage through its tusks. Researchers say they have proven that the huge beast was a long-distance wanderer, walking the equivalent of twice around the world during a life lasting 28 years.

Scientists have discovered a 17,000-year-old woolly mammoth's massive lifetime mileage through its tusks. Researchers say they have proven that the huge beast was a long-distance wanderer, walking the equivalent of twice around the world during a life lasting 28 years. The findings, published in the journal Science, could shed light on theories about why the mammoth, whose teeth were bigger than the human fist, became extinct. "In all popular culture, for example, if you watch (the cartoon) 'Ice Age', there are always mammoths who move around a lot," said Clement Bataille, assistant professor at the University of Ottawa and one of the lead authors of the study. But there is no clear reason why mammoths should have trekked great distances "because it is such an enormous animal that moving around uses a lot of energy," he said. The researchers were amazed by the results: the mammoth they studied probably walked around 70,000 kilometres (43,500 miles) and did not stay just on the plains of Alaska as they expected. "We see that it traveled throughout Alaska, so an immense territory," said Bataille. "It was really a surprise." Readings on a tusk For their study, the researchers selected the tusks of a male woolly mammoth who lived at the end of the last ice age. The animal, named "Kik" after a local river, lived relatively close to the time of the extinction of the species, around 13,000 years ago. One of the two tusks was cut in half to take readings of strontium isotope ratios. Strontium is a chemical element similar to limestone and is present in the soil. It is transmitted to vegetation and, when eaten, is deposited in bones, teeth... or tusks. The tusks grow throughout a mammal's life, with the tip reflecting the first years of life, and the base representing the final years. Isotope ratios are different depending on geology, and Bataille developed an isotopic map of the region. By comparing it with the data from the tusks, it was possible to track when and where the mammoth had been. At the time, glaciers covered all of the Brooks Range of mountains in the north and the Alaska Range in the south, with the plain of the Yukon River in the center. The animal returned regularly to some areas, where it could stay for several years. But his movements also changed greatly depending on his age, before he eventually died of hunger. During the first two years of his life, researchers were even able to observe signs of breastfeeding. "What was really surprising was that after the teenage years, the isotopic variations start to be much more important," said Bataille. The mammoth has "three or four times in its life, made an immense journey of 500, 600 even 700 kilometres, in a few months." Scientists say the male may have been solitary, and moving from herd to herd to reproduce. Or he could have been facing a drought or a harsh winter, forcing him to seek a new area where food was more plentiful. Lessons for today? Whether for genetic diversity or due to scarce resources, it is "clear that this species needed an extremely large area" to live," said Bataille. But, at the time of the transition from the ice age to the interglacial period, when they were extinct, "the area shrank because more forests grew" and "humans put quite a lot of pressure on southern Alaska, where mammoths probably moved much less." Understanding factors that led to the disappearance of mammoths may help protect other threatened megafauna species, such as caribou or elephants. With today's climate changing, and humans often restricting big species to parks and reserves, Bataille said, "do we want our children 1,000 years from now to view elephants the same way we view mammoths today?" (With inputs from Agencies)

Steps enough for two rounds of Earth: Scientists discover woolly mammoth's massive lifetime mileage

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Canada: ‘Brown blob’ found by gold digger turns out to be mummified 30,000-year-old squirrel

Rare mummified baby woolly mammoth, frozen over 30,000 years ago, found by Canadian gold miners

Steps enough for two rounds of Earth: Scientists discover woolly mammoth's massive lifetime mileage