13 Strange Animal Discoveries Unearthed
From monster scorpions that roamed the seas to bizarre Egyptian animal mummies, these are 13 strange animal discoveries, unearthed.
#7 … Mummified Animals -- Ancient Egypt is famous for human mummies. But did you know that animals were also mummified for various reasons? Researchers believe the mummies of over 70 million animals were produced between 800 BC and 400 AD, ranging from birds to crocodiles. Some of the animals were intended for food offerings to humans in the afterlife. Others were used as sacrificial offerings to the gods, and Ancient Egyptian deities often took the form of animals … including cats, falcons, cows and baboons among many others.
#6 … Spider Sense -- Here’s a picture from 100 million years ago, showing a spider in the process of attacking a wasp that’s actually caught in its web … 15 strands of spider silk are also preserved in amber. This is the only fossil discovered that depicts such a spider attack. The wasp never had a chance to deliver its sting … but it did have a long time to think about its mistake!
#5 … Mix And Match -- In 2015, the excavation of an Iron Age Celtic settlement in Dorset, England revealed burial sites with strange hybrid-animals. Archaeologists said bones of different animals were intentionally placed together, and were reminiscent of mythical beasts found in ancient cultures. Some of the hybridized animals found at the site include a cow that had its legs replaced with horse’s legs … A sheep with its own head and the head of a bull placed on its rear end (pic) … And a horse with cow’s horns placed facing inward on its head. It’s thought ancient peoples would combine certain animal and/or human remains into one fantastic beast. Some of these hybridized beasts were regarded as monsters, while others played roles as counselors or guardians.
#4 … Microraptor -- This amazing fossil discovered in China revealed a feathered dinosaur that had four wings … two wings on its front limbs and two on its rear. It’s unsure if this dinosaur could actually fly by flapping its wings, or if it would glide from tree to tree. This may well have been the world’s smallest dinosaur, weighing between 2 to 3 pounds, and lived about 130 million years ago. Microraptor is in the same family as the better-known Velociraptor, although they appeared much later. There were other birdlike dinosaurs such as Archaeopteryx (ar-kop-terr-icks), but they had only a single set of wings on their front limbs.
#3 … Mysterious Claw -- A huge, well-preserved claw was found in the cave system of Mount Owen in New Zealand in 1986. The claw was intact with flesh and scaly skin, and was so well preserved that it seemed to belong to a creature that had only died recently.. After inspection, it was determined the mummified claw was over 3000 years old and belonged to a large prehistoric bird called an Upland Moa (moe-uh). It stood around 4 feet high and had feathers covering its whole body except the beak and soles of its feet. It’s believed the species died out centuries earlier.
#2 … A Horse Is A Horse -- In 2013, archaeologists discovered the remains of a Thracian carriage and two horses that were buried upright. The horse skeletons and chariot, along with some decorations, were found in a Thracian tomb uncovered in north-east Bulgaria and are estimated to be 2,500 years old. The discovery is thought to have belonged to the Thracian nobility due to nearby graves containing imported goods. The horses were still attached to their elaborate harnesses and carriage when discovered. And it’s thought that the horses were killed after leading the carriage into its final resting place. Experts say the find is unlike any other found from the Thracian era in Bulgaria. So you know, the Thracians were nomads who settled in the central Balkans some 5,000 years ago, and were known to be fierce warriors. In fact one Thracian made quite a name for himself back in the day … a fella by the name of Spartacus !
#1 … Yuka (yoo-kuh) -- It’s the name of the best-preserved wooly mammoth ever discovered, off the north coast of Siberia in 2010. Complete with muscle tissue, fur, a blood sample and a brain still intact, the mammoth is estimated to be 39,000 years old. Thank the icy environment of the Russian Arctic Circle for the animal’s excellent preservation. It’s thought that the discovery will help advance efforts to clone ancient animals. Will we see the Wooly Mammoth walk the earth once more? Sounds like it could make a great movie.
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