New Data on the Pleistocene Mammoth Fauna from the Territory of the Lena Pillars Nature Park (Middle Lena River, Yakutia)

A groundbreaking discovery reveals that the Lena Pillars Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site candidate, was home to a diverse Pleistocene mammoth fauna during the Karginian interstadial (60–24 thousand years ago). New radiocarbon dating and fossil remains identify 11 large mammal species, including the first recorded presence of cave lions in this region. The findings suggest that this period was optimal for mammoth fauna distribution in Yakutia, with ecological insights indicating that Ovis nivicola's Late Pleistocene habitat differed from its current range. This study significantly advances our understanding of Pleistocene biodiversity and environmental conditions in Northeast Asia.

Boeskorov, G. G., Maschenko, E. N., Ponomarev, I. V., Solomonov, N. G., Nogovitsyn, P. R., Shchelchkova, M. V., Stepanov, A. D., & Oleinikov, O. B. (2023). New Data on the Pleistocene Mammoth Fauna from the Territory of the Lena Pillars Nature Park (Middle Lena River, Yakutia). Paleontological Journal, 57(1), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.1134/s0031030123010045