Bones of ice age polar animals discovered in Norway

Scientists have discovered in the Norwegian cave Arne-Kvamgrotta unique remains of animals that lived in the Arctic 75,000 years ago. This discovery was the oldest confirmed evidence of the existence of such a diverse fauna in the European Arctic in the warm period of the Ice Age. This is reported by Bournemouth University.

The fossils of 46 animal species, including mammals, fish and birds, shed light on an ancient ecosystem that existed in conditions significantly different from those of today. Among the species found are polar bears, walruses, bowhead whales, tupiks, common eider, white ptarmigan and Atlantic cod. Of particular interest was the presence of collared lemmings, a species now extinct in Europe and never before found in Scandinavia.

"These findings provide a rare glimpse into the lost Arctic and an insight into how vulnerable cold-loving species are to climate change," explains lead study author Dr Sam Walker from the University of Bournemouth and the University of Oslo.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), also found that ancient populations of these animals did not survive after the cold weather returned: their DNA was not preserved in subsequent layers. This suggests that migration or adaptation to new conditions was impossible - an important lesson for today, the scientists said.

Senior author Professor Sanne Bessenkul from the University of Oslo notes: "Before this, we had virtually no data on life in the Arctic at such an early period. The cave has given us a rare insight into a coastal ecosystem that combines marine and terrestrial elements."

The cave was accidentally discovered in the 1990s while digging an industrial tunnel, but it was not seriously explored until 2021-2022. Excavations confirmed that at that time the coastal zone of northern Norway was almost completely ice-free. This provided suitable conditions for animals such as reindeer and freshwater fish, whose remains were also found.

The team of scientists believe that the presence of sea ice at the time was seasonal: this is evidenced by the presence of both walruses and porpoises, which are known to avoid icy waters.

"Our results underscore that even cold-adapted species had difficulty coping with abrupt climate change," says Dr Walker. - "Today, the situation is even more difficult: Arctic habitats are fragmented and animals have fewer opportunities to move and adapt."

Prof Bessenkul adds: "It is important to remember that we are talking about cooling, not warming as we are now. And if these species have not coped with the cooling, the warming will be even more devastating for them."

The study was carried out in collaboration with the University of Oslo, the University of Bournemouth, the Bergen Museum, the Norwegian University of Natural Sciences and other organisations.