Tusk of Woolly Mammoth Found in Alaska, Offers Insights About Links Between Climate Change and Prehistoric Extinction

A river in Alaska revealed a tusk that was once part of a massive woolly mammoth that roamed the planet between 300,000 and 10,000 years ago. The experts found the discovery at a site at Koyukuk River.

Woolly Mammoth Tusk Discovered in Alaskan Riverbank

Scholars from the University of Virginia unexpectedly spotted the preserved tusk of the prehistoric faunas they traveled through the area. The mammoth's tusk was embedded in the soil at the riverbank of Koyukuk and showed features that are possible clues to the connection between extinction and climate change.

Environmental humanities specialist Adrienne Ghaly was able to document the stunning image of the mammoth's tusk.

Ghaly is part of an organization from the University called the Sanctuary Lab. This team specializes in research regarding the effects of climate on places related to various cultures and ecological aspects.

The woolly mammoth tusk was discovered as Ghaly's team traveled through the brook by a float. The tusk was buried in an area in the middle of a fork of the Koyukuk River, just a few miles away from Coldfoot, Alaska.

Ghaly said that the river was 'high and flowing fast,' but thankfully, colleague Karen McGlathery was able to alert them about the paleontological find stuck at the bank.

The image captured by the team was uploaded to social media platforms. The photo of the tusk reached more than 1,200 comments following the discovery.

Experts from the Koyukuk River research trip include UVA Department of Environmental Sciences head, Howard Epstein.

The professor explained that the trip was intended to gain more knowledge about the arctic and how it works as a sanctuary for many species. The team was having a casual observation around the place when they stumbled upon the mammoth tusk, he said.

Alaska During Ice Age

During the last glaciation period and the peak of the Bering Land Bridge (mammoth steppe), the population of grazing animals surged around the planet. Among these species were the woolly mammoths. Epstein said that finding several parts of this massive animal is not surprising, but it is truly amazing to see it in person,

University of Alaska's Museum of the North director Patrick Druckenmiller said that the majority of the interior regions of Alaska were unglaciated when the last ice age occurred. Because of the shift in the environment, the woolly mammoths considered the place the best spot for living.

The region where the Koyukuk River flows is rich in paleontological finds from the mammalians that lived through the ice age such as the recent mammoth tusk, NPR reports.

Druckenmiller said that future projects to excavate the tusk should be carried out with the help of state archaeologists. The soil where the tusk was buried is not safe to dig, but if ever the bone falls naturally, they will lead the management to preserve the remains and deliver it to the museum for curation, the director continued.

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