NEFU/The Siberian Times The Woolly Mammoth could soon be roaming the Earth again

The remarkable discovery has been described as a "major step forward" in the attempt to resurrect the long-extinct mammoth.



The researchers described the woolly mammoth remains as ripe for cloning after uncovering the first ever complete sample of mammoth DNA.

The ancient beast was found frozen in permafrost off the coast of Siberia in Russia - with its skin still amazingly intact.



A total of six mammoth carcasses, dating back to 10,000 years, were found on the Lyakhovsky Islands.



The research expedition also found the tusk of a pygmy mammoth, an extinct species of dwarf elephant.

NEFU/The Siberian Times The mammoth remains could be the first complete DNA sample

GETTY Scientists have long been trying to resurrect the mammoth

The unique discovery was made by the Project Mammoth Revival, a Russian-funded research venture which aims to clone the prehistoric creature.



The project is just one of several teams racing to produce a clone of a mammoth.



Scientists plan to combine cells from frozen woolly mammoth remains and an elephant egg, but have struggled to find high-quality 'living' cells - until now.

CEN The carcass of old mammoth is a 'highly significant' find

NEFU/The Siberian Times Scientists are analyzing samples of the mammoth carcass

Expedition head Semyon Grigoryev said: "The skin is especially interesting for the 'Revival of the Mammoth' project.



"The Lyakhovsky Islands are considered to be the centre of the mammoth continent.