TSU scientists made a film about Siberian "sanatorium" of mammoths

TOMSK, Feb 18 – RIA Tomsk. Paleontologists of Tomsk State University (TSU) shot a film about the largest in Asia late mammoths remains location, found in Novosibirsk region; in this film scientists represent their version of ancient animals extinction, the press-service of the university informed.

Earlier it was reported that in the summer of 2015 TSU paleontologists have started to work on Barabinsk plain in Novosibirsk region where was a refugium (one of the last habitats) mammoths. Here animals had "mud bath" and vitamin "sanatorium" where they could find food with the necessary minerals. Besides, it was possible to prove that in refugium mammoths lived with people at the same time.

"The plot of the film is about the expedition of TSU paleontologists on one of the youngest mammoths locations in Eurasia. The finds made in 2015 during joint excavation of TSU researchers, Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Siberian Branch and University of Wroclaw, cast light on one of the greatest paleoecological riddles – what was the reason of mammoths extinction", – said in a statement.

It is specified that at many animals which remains were discovered in the Wolf's mane on  Barabinsk plain, diseases of skeletal system are found. Scientists believe that exactly pathological changes of skeletal and cartilaginous tissues, caused by metabolism infringement (mineral starvation), became the reason of disappearance of these mammals.

It is noted that in attempts to fill mineral starvation mammoths came to Barabinsk plain. In excavation which was made here in September, the concentration of their bones was more than two times higher, than on the location of Bereleh in Yakutia, which is considered to be the largest in Asia "cemetery" of mammoths.

"For today (with taking into account excavations of the second half of XX century) opened less than 3% of the explored burial area. Most of the information is still hidden in the Wolf's mane, therefore the researches, allowing to shed light on features of ecosystem existence at the end of Pleistocene, will be continued", – added in the university.