Mammoths | Natural Heritage of Serbia

Did you know that mammoths, those gigantic furry trunked creatures with enormous tusks from the Ice Age movies and ancestors of today's elephants, lived on the territory of Serbia for thousands of years?!

Serbia, of course, did not exist back then, nor did the concept of any state or civilization in general. It was several hundred thousand years ago when Vojvodina was a barren, cold, and windy steppe plain, when the Danube River and its tributaries flowed along a slightly different "course" than today, and when this area was almost uninhabited by humans. It is difficult to imagine that today, and someone might even doubt the truthfulness of these claims if it weren't for the accidental discovery of the first remains of these grand mammals deep underground about twenty years ago.

It was in Kikinda, on December 4, 1996, during routine excavations in the clay pit of the "Toza Marković" brick and tile factory, when a completely accidental discovery was made at a depth of about 20 meters. The skeleton of an unusually large animal was found, leading to the immediate conclusion that it was a significant paleontological discovery. Work at the factory was instantly halted to accommodate the excavation.

Through professional and gradual excavation, almost a complete skeleton of a mammoth, estimated to be around 500,000 years old, was brought to the surface. The preservation of the skeleton was exceptionally high, amounting to approximately 93%, which was sufficient to determine that it was a female mammoth of the species Mammuthus trogontherii. She stood about 4 meters tall, measured 7 meters in length and around 3.5 meters in width, weighing approximately 7 tons. By examining the growth rings on a cross-section of the tusks, her age at the time of death was estimated to be around 64 years.

Soon, the puzzle was assembled, and the impressive skeleton found its protective place in the city's public museum. The mammoth from Kikinda was popularly named "Kika." Further analysis of the skeleton revealed many interesting details. For instance, it was discovered that Kika had a baby. Traces on the skeleton indicated that she had been attacked and bitten by other animals, but the exact cause of her death remains uncertain.

Due to the high level of preservation, Kika is considered one of the most beautiful and significant paleontological discoveries in Europe. You can personally witness the magnificence of this fossil by visiting the National Museum in Kikinda. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, every day from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from 100 dinars for children and students to 150 dinars for adult visitors. Discounts are available for group visits, and yearly passes are offered at exceptionally favorable rates.

For a full 13 years, Kika was considered a remarkable paleontological rarity until 2009 when, at a depth of 27 meters, in a thick layer of gravel within the archaeological site of Viminacium near Kostolac, the skeleton of a mammoth was discovered. Its age was estimated to be a staggering one million years. Following the example of Kika found in Kikinda, this mammoth was named Vika, after Viminacium.

By analyzing the position of the skeleton, it was concluded that Vika became stuck in mud and silt on the banks of the Danube, leading to exhaustion and eventual death. This is supported by the remarkably high level of preservation of the skeleton. Sinking into the mud, Vika was protected from scavengers and predators, which contributed to the nearly perfect state of preservation. This female mammoth, belonging to the same species as Kika, was about 60 years old and slightly larger - standing approximately 4.5 meters tall and weighing around 10 tons.

Three years later, in 2012, about 2 kilometers away from where Vika was found, a series of bones from several mammoth individuals of different ages was discovered. This fascinating finding, unfortunately, occurred too late for the skeletal remains to be fully assembled and arranged into an anatomical whole. Many parts of the skeleton were destroyed by excavation equipment, while others were naturally dislocated over time in a wide area. Nevertheless, their discovery undeniably proves that the Danube River bank was one of the favorite habitats of these land giants. Their remains, along with the complete skeleton of Vika, can be seen in the so-called "Mammoth Park" within the Viminacium Archaeological Park.

The exact cause of the extinction of mammoths remains uncertain to this day. While some claim that humans drove them to extinction, others believe that climate change caused their starvation and natural disappearance. The truth likely lies in a combination of these two factors.

It's worth noting that there are only about twenty preserved mammoth specimens in the whole world, and our country is home to two of them. Therefore, I highly recommend visiting the National Museum in Kikinda or the Viminacium Archaeological Park to personally encounter these paleo giants and learn numerous fascinating facts about these marvelous and extinct creatures.