Woolly Mammoth Alive in Siberia? (VIDEO)
A new video from Siberia claims to prove that Woolly mammoths are still alive and well.
The video, which shows a large animal crossing a river in Siberia has gained much attention thanks to YouTube and British tabloid The Sun. Many speculate that the video is merely a bear captured on film since Woolly mammoths have been extinct for over 10,000 years.
The Woolly mammoth did live in Siberia, and scientists have found many well-preserved skeletons in the country, the result of the last Ice Age that wiped out the species. Throughout history, though, there have been claims of sightings, and interest in the beast has never waned.
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SEE VIDEO OF WOOLLY MAMMOTH SIGHTING
Paranormal writer Michael Cohen stated: "Rumors of a handful of mammoths still kicking around in the vast wilderness of Siberia have been circulating for decades and occasionally sightings by locals have occurred. Siberia is an enormous territory and much of it remains completely unexplored and untouched by humans," he told The Sun.
In 2011, scientists from Kyoto University announced their intention to extract DNA from a mammoth carcass in Russia and insert it with the egg of an African elephant, the species' closest living relative. The plan is to produce a mammoth embryo and, eventually, a living baby mammoth.
"If a cloned embryo can be created, we need to discuss, before transplanting it into the womb, how to breed [the mammoth] and whether to display it to the public. After the mammoth is born, we'll examine its ecology and genes to study why the species became extinct and other factors," explained lead researcher Akira Iritani.
