Radiocarbon dating shows that Leo Boris lived more than 43,000 years ago, and the second, Sparta, last walked on the planet about 28,000 years ago. The youngest of the two lions is believed to be one of the best preserved Ice Age animals ever.
Both lions were young and died within weeks of being born. Although they are located a short distance from each other, they do not belong to the same family. They certainly do not belong to the same generation. The dating of these animals shows that they lived at least 15,000 years.
Looking at the condition of the young, the researchers suggested that they may have died in their burrows, under the snow or in the ground. It is also possible that both young men died during or just before the landslide, followed by rapid freezing and long-term preservation in permafrost.
Due to the extreme quality of the puppies’ behavior, the researchers can see the color of the fur and details never seen before in these animals at this age. According to the study abstract, “the overall color of the Sparta is from gray to light brown, while the fur of the Boris is generally lighter, yellowish-gray.”
One new piece of evidence from the research is that it is possible that “bright color prevailed with age in cave lions and was adapted to northern snow-covered landscapes.”
