Boy discovers well-preserved mammoth

An 11-year-old from Russia discovered a well-preserved mammoth that was dubbed as best discovery since 1901.

Alexei Tikhonov, director of the Saint Petersburg-based Zoological Museum said that Yevgeny Salinder whose family lives near the polar station in Russia's north discovered the mammal while he was strolling along the banks of Yenisei River in late August. "He sensed an unpleasant odour and saw something sticking out of the ground -- it was the mammoth's heels", he said.

Tikhonov said the mammoth aged 15-16 years old that have lived at about 30,000 years ago. It was perfectly preserved that his tusks, skin and an eye were still intact.

The scientists took 5 hours to dig the body out which was brought to the nothern of Dudinka.