26,000-Year-Old Ice Age Fox Unearthed Deep in Utah Cave

Utah scientists have discovered the skeleton of a red fox dating back to the Ice Age 26,000 years ago in the Uinta mountains.

Our news partners from ABC4 Utah reported this new discovery with an article written by Ryan Bittan. Big thank you to Bittan and ABC4 Utah for the information.

Bittan wrote, “It is the most complete skeleton of an Ice Age mammal found in the region. The team of scientists, formed from the Utah Division of State Parks and the USDA Forest Service Ashley National Forest, along with a group of local cavers, recovered the skeleton deep in Uinta Mountains’ Whiterocks Cave.”

Officials stated in a press release that the skeleton had been in that cave so long that the pyramids in Giza hadn’t even been built yet, and it was certainly before humans started farming crops in the area.

Bittan wrote, “The skeleton, which has since been named ‘Roxy,’ was found nearly a half-mile deep into what experts called a ‘less accessible’ part of the cave’s back, leading experts to wonder how the fox got so deep in complete darkness. As of now, no one on the team of scientists is sure how or why it happened, and they even have differing opinions on the matter.”

Officials from the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum called the skeleton a gorgeous specimen, and they can’t wait for the public to come see Roxy at the museum in the future.

More information, including images of the skeleton, can be found in Bittan’s article on ABC4 Utah.