The mammoth calf has been named "Jana". When she was discovered last year, researchers believed she died 50,000 years ago, but have now revised the figure after analyzing the permafrost where the calf lay, says Maxim Tjeprasov, head of the Mammoth Museum in Russian Yakutsk.
At 180 kilos, the calf was one year old when she died. The calf was remarkably well-preserved and according to researchers, she may be the best-preserved mammoth remains found.
We can see that many organs and tissues are very well-preserved, says researcher Artemy Gontjarov.
During the autopsy, researchers hope to find ancient bacteria. According to Gontjarov, they will investigate "evolutionary relationships to modern microorganisms" and "biological risks" associated with global warming as the permafrost melts.
Researchers also want to perform genetic analyses of the plants she ate to learn more about the time and place she lived in.
