Woolly Mammoth - It's What's For Dinner

Scientists have found evidence that some of Alaska's first immigrants many have slaughtered and butchered a woolly mammoth.

Picture: Albert Protopopov

The 21-thousand-year-old-remains were found on Kotelny Island - which is believed to be part of the Beringia land bridge which connected Alaska with Siberia.

Scientists say no other mammoth previously found in the world had such clear signs of being hunted by humans.  They found cuts all over its ribs - as well as traces of spear strikes with stone spear tips embedded in the beast.

Physical evidence suggests ancient men severed the trunk, removed the brain, harvested the meat, and pulled bone marrow from all the ice age beast's limbs.

The Siberian Times reported that Russian scientist Doctor Protopopov believes the discovery adds more information about the human migration from Siberia to Alaska. Woolly Mammoths are believed to have died off about 4,000 years ago due to climate change and human hunting. 

Studying the discovery is a multi-national effort, according to Protopopov. Swedish researchers will conduct genetic molecular research while American experts will focus on the mitochondrial DNA this year. The Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo dated the extinct mammoth remains at 21,000 years using radiocarbon analysis.

Last spring, cells from another Siberia mammoth were reported to demonstrate "signs of biological activity" after they were implanted in mouse cells, according to Scientific Reports.  Despite the high controversy that surrounds efforts to bring prehistoric animals like the Woolly Mammoth back to live, Harvard University has assembled a Woolly Mammoth Revival team. This effort hopes to introduce mammoth genes into the Asian elephant population for conservation purposes.