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Leading paleontologists study mammoth burial in Srednekolymsky ulus

  • 21 July 2014
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Leading paleontologists study mammoth burial in Srednekolymsky ulus

NEFU Mammoth Museum of NEFU Research Institute of Applied Ecology of the North organizes international paleontological expedition “In search of the last giant of the Arctic” from 21 July to 16 August in Srednekolymsky and Verkhnekolymsky Regions.

At the first stage of the expedition, it is planned to work with pupils in "Mayak" children's ecological camp. Specialists will give lectures and conduct practice with pupils in their field (paleontology, soil science, zoology, ichthyology), will evaluate students research works and make recommendations for their improvement, propose new research subjects.

One of the most interesting results of the expedition should be a reconnaissance survey of the mammoth burial that was discovered in 2013 on the Beryozovka River. "Although the preservation criterion of mammoth remains is unclear, there is a need in comprehensive study of the area," noted in NEFU Mammoth Museum.

"Despite the fact that the Kolyma River basin is known as one of the “mammoth" regions of our planet, in respect of paleontological remains is very poorly studied. Thereby, the most promising location of mammoth fauna along the route of the expedition will be studied", said members of the expedition.

The expedition members will visit the place of Berezovsky mammoth discovery on the Beryozovka River and establish a memorial on the place of the mammoth discovery in 1900 by a local Semyon Tarabukin, symbol of the Zoological Institute. The only stuffed mammoth from Beryozovka is exhibited in the Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute in St. Petersburg, whose director Aleksei Tikhonov will be directly involved in this event

Besides paleontological research, one of the tasks of the expedition is to introduce modern lifestyle of the Indigenous Peoples of the Far North. In this regard, it id planned to visit places of compact residence of Evens (Beryozovka village) and Yukagirs (Nelemnoye village) and meetings with local people with an explanation of the importance of paleontological discoveries.

Reference:

The expedition is carried out at the organizational and financial support of the Russian Geographical Society, EVRAZ and BASK Companies. Staff of our institute from the Laboratory of the Mammoth Museum named after P.A. Lazarev and Laboratory of Ecology and Geography of Permafrost Soils headed by Grigory Savvinov, the Director of the Institute, President of the Regional Branch of the RGS in the RS (Y), a leading expert on mammoths, Director of RAS Zoological Museum, Scientific Secretary of Mammoth Committee RAS Aleksei Tikhonov, famous scientists - the director of the Paleontological Museum of the University of Michigan (USA), Professor Daniel Fisher and researcher of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova Teodor Obade will take part in the expedition.

Author: NEFU Newsroom

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