Trending Now - Ancient 23 Million-year-old Rhino Found in Arctic Region
WHO:
Epiaceratherium itjilik: A newly discovered species of rhino.
Marisa Gilbert: Senior research assistant at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Dr. Danielle Fraser: Head of palaeobiology at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Dr. Mary Dawson: Paleontologist from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, who originally collected key bones in 1986.
Jarloo Kiguktak: Inuit Elder from Grise Fiord, who guided the naming process of the species.
Ryan Sinclair Paterson: Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Copenhagen, involved in protein extraction research.
WHAT:
Discovery of a nearly complete skeleton of Epiaceratherium itjilik, a 23-million-year-old rhino.
Approximately 75% of the skeleton was recovered.
The species name "itjilik" means "frost" in Inuktitut.
Fossils were found in Haughton Crater, a 23-kilometer-wide impact site.
In 2025, researchers extracted partial proteins from the tooth enamel of Epiaceratherium itjilik.
WHERE:
Haughton Crater on Devon Island, part of Canada’s High Arctic.
The Canadian Museum of Nature: Where the fossil is now housed.
Grise Fiord: The northernmost Inuit community in Canada.
WHEN:
Discovery of the fossils reported in 2026.
Original collection of key bones by Dr. Mary Dawson occurred in 1986.
Protein extraction breakthrough occurred in 2025.
WHY:
The discovery challenges previous assumptions about the adaptability and migration patterns of ancient rhinos.
It provides insights into the evolutionary history of rhinos and their migration from Europe to North America via a land bridge.
HOW:
Fossils were uncovered using cryoturbation, a process where frozen ground repeatedly freezes and thaws, pushing ancient bones to the surface.
Advanced modeling techniques were used to trace migration routes of rhinos.
The naming of the species involved consultation with local Inuit heritage.
QUOTES:
“What’s remarkable about the Arctic rhino is that the fossil bones are in excellent condition,” said Marisa Gilbert.
“The addition of this Arctic species to the rhino family tree now offers new insights into our understanding of their evolutionary history,” said Dr. Danielle Fraser.
“It’s always exciting and informative to describe a new species,” said Dr. Fraser regarding the significance of Epiaceratherium itjilik.
In a remarkable discovery, researchers have unearthed a nearly complete skeleton of a 23-million-year-old rhino species named Epiaceratherium itjilik, with about 75% of the skeleton recovered from Haughton Crater on Devon Island in Canada’s High Arctic. This new addition to the rhino family tree, which means "frost" in Inuktitut, challenges previous assumptions about ancient rhinos' adaptability and migration patterns, providing fresh insights into their evolutionary history. Marisa Gilbert from the Canadian Museum of Nature noted the excellent condition of the fossil bones, while Dr. Danielle Fraser emphasized the significance of this Arctic species in enhancing our understanding of rhinos' migration from Europe to North America.