A 500-Year-Old Mummified ‘Goatelope’ Was Found Inside A Melting Glacier
TwitterThe mummified chamois is an ancient animal that shares similarities with goats and antelopes — hence the name “goatelope.”
Rising temperatures are causing a series of glaciers in the Austrian Alps to melt, including Gepatsch Ferner, the second-largest glacier in the country.
It’s an unfortunate situation, as it affects the natural habitat of numerous animal species. However, the ice melt is also leading to some truly remarkable discoveries — including a mummified chamois that had been preserved in the glacier for 500 years.
The ancient “goatelope” was found by a team of Alpine glaciologists led by Andrea Fischer. Its skin was still intact, and it was even coated in tufts of fur.
To preserve the remains, Fischer quickly wrapped the chamois mummy in a plastic sheet, sealed it shut with tape, and moved it to a location where it could be safely evacuated by helicopter and taken to the Tyrolean State Museum for research.
The young chamois, they estimated, was likely around two years old when it died, and it has remained frozen in the ice ever since. The discovery is even more remarkable given how rare finds like this are.
“It’s incredible, and it’s incredible that she’s sitting exactly where we do our research, and that we passed right when it was coming out of the ice,” Fischer said.
