The article tells about the scope of mammoth tusks, where and how they are extracted, who are mammoths and why they died out.
Ancient times
According to scientists, life on Earth has existed for more than 3 billion years, and during this time many species of living organisms have replaced it, from invertebrate inhabitants of the ancient oceans to dinosaurs.
Their remains in one form or another have survived through the process of petrification. But there is another species of
ancient animals whose bodies have survived despite a huge period of time, and these are mammoths.
Contrary to popular belief, mammoth tusks were not weapons, but served as a tool for extracting pasture. The last representatives of this species became extinct about 10 thousand years ago, in those days when a reasonable person had already entered into his rights on Earth. However, thanks to the numerous finds of the well-preserved remains of giants, scientists know a lot about mammoths. And the tusks of these giants are of interest not only for researchers of the once-existing fauna.
What are they needed for?
The answer to this question is simple: it is all about profit. Due to the good preservation, mammoth tusks are highly valued on the black market: a lot of things are made from them, from souvenirs and animal figures to real works of art that are valued at millions of dollars. But how can a bone be preserved if it has lain in the earth for tens of thousands of years?
It's all about the natural conditions of Siberia. Due to permafrost, the remains are not petrified, being all this time in a natural "refrigerator". Also excellent conditions for them are beds of swampy rivers and just swamps. Without access to oxygen, the process of bacterial development and rotting is minimal there, so mammoth tusks are preserved so well.
Who gets them and where does they sell them?
You can meet the remains of these once-living giants around the world, but they are especially common in Europe and Siberia. The most “fishy” place for paleontologists and “black seekers” is Yakutia.
The terrain covered with swampy tundra is the best suited for preserving the representatives of the ancient fauna. The remains of mammoths are extracted from the exposed layers of permafrost, washed out coastal areas and swamps.
This process is very complex, painstaking and dangerous, and the locals do it. It is noteworthy that after each find, they conduct rituals to praise the spirits in which they believe.
According to some reports, the value of high-quality tusks on the black market is from 25 thousand rubles. So the remains of mammoths for the inhabitants of those lands are a very good help, therefore they are engaged in this whole villages.
Legality
Naturally, such activities are illegal, and scientists have long been sounding the alarm because they are losing research material.
Of course, it can be argued that there are many tusks, but nevertheless it is more and more difficult to find them. The question arises: why are law enforcement officers not following this? Probably, in view of the vast territories, it is extremely difficult to control this region.
Lost places
As already mentioned, the mammoth tusks are most often found in Siberia. But there were giants around the world, in total there are three groups - Asian, American, and intercontinental. Mammoth tusks are often found in North America and in the area of the Scandinavian countries. But their safety is much worse than that of the Siberian finds.
Why mammoths died out
There is still debate, why did these ancient giants, which reached a height of 5 meters and weighed more than 10 tons, become extinct? What could threaten such a huge animal? Of course, predators were larger than those at the time, but scientists still offer two versions.
The first is the ice age. Mammoths were covered with thick hair and, unlike modern elephants, were not afraid of the cold. But in the conditions of severe Siberia, global cooling has seriously crippled the population.
The second version is human influence. In those days, people actively hunted giants, using cunning and various traps. Numerous excavations of mammoths in Russia and the sites of primitive people confirm that the latter very actively exterminated them.
Mammoth Roast
From time immemorial, a story is very popular among Siberian hunters about how a certain hunter stumbled on the remains of a mammoth in permafrost, and in a natural "refrigerator" they were preserved so well that they cooked meat on a fire and ate it.
This is actually not true. After millennia of being in the earth, the flesh of a mammoth gradually loses collagen, and becomes a waxy substance unsuitable for food, and simply melts from heat treatment. But the legend, without a doubt, is interesting. A similar story can be read in the book "Aelita" by Alexei Tolstoy.
Thus, giant animals even through the layers of centuries continue to excite human minds.