Massive Mammoth on Display in Serbia

While the Balkans nations have long been described as a place where life first emerged in terms of human civilization, paleolithic specimens have played a big role in recent discoveries, as well. A coal pit nearly 100 km south east of the Serbian capital of Belgrade tells the story of a large mammoth that had strayed from its herd and entered marsh like territory where it began to sink into the weak soil. The mammoth, which scientists have confirmed through DNA testing was of the female sex, was aging at the time and did not fight the sinking, instead laying down and passing from life in a peaceful way. The bones she left behind are the latest addition to paleontology. They were discovered near the Danube River, a major water way in south east Europe. So far, scientist have been calling the skeleton by the name of Vika.

The country is eager to utilize Vika to educate its population and the world at large by welcoming in tourists to come and view what are certainly one of the most rare bones to be uncovered recently. According to Zoran Markovic, quite a number of these bones have been uncovered in the nation for a number of years, but such a complete skeleton as Vika exemplifies is a rare sight. Markovic was extremely excited upon first sight and has been able to determine that Vika belong to a species of mammoth that existed before the Ice Ages began. The creature would have weighed 10 tons and lacked the fur that was present on Siberian mammoths, looking far more similar to today’s elephants.