Thursday 22 May 2014

Mammoth show uncovers Ice Age giants

MAMMOTH can be much over-used adjective these days, but when it comes to a major exhibition opening at London’s Natural History Museum tomorrow (May 23) it’s a description that can’t be bettered.

WoollyMammothsMural, illustration by Velizar Simeonovski © The Field Museum

Mammoths: Ice Age Giants showcases the fascinating creatures which met their end less than 4,000 years ago, which makes them – arguably – more relevant than the dinosaurs which ruled the planet more than 65 million years ago.

The exhibition is centred on the most complete remains of a mammoth yet found, Lyuba, a 37-day-old animal which died 42,000 years ago. 

Lyuba © International Mammoth Committee and Francis Latreille
Discovered in 2007 in Russia, Lyuba was preserved in the Siberian permafrost. Through genuine fossils –many of them vast – skeletons, modern replicas, and interactive story boards, the show traces the rise and fall of these magnificent creatures over a period spanning approximately five million years. There are some interesting things for the kids to touch … including Mammoth poo!

As distant cousins of our modern elephants, their story echoes many of the problems the planet and its wildlife face today. The Mammoths were impacted by climate change and human intervention, leading to population reduction and eventual extinction.

The exhibition runs from May 23 to September 7. Adult entry is £9.00, children and concessions £5.40, family tickets are £25 and entry for children under four is free.


http://www.nhm.ac.uk

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