Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre facts for kids
Entrance to the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre
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| Location | Alaska Highway, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada |
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| Type | Human and natural history museum |
| Architect | Masnasc Isaac |
| Owner | Government of Yukon |
The Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre is a cool place in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. It opened in 1997. This centre helps you learn all about Beringia.
Beringia was a huge land area. It stretched from Siberia to Canada. This land was special because it did not get covered by glaciers during the Pleistocene Ice Age. Many animals and even early humans used Beringia. They traveled across it between Asia and the Americas. A scientist named Eric Hultén first used the name Beringia in 1937.
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Animals of Ancient Beringia
Many different animals lived in or crossed Beringia. Some animals moved from Asia to North America. These included mastodons, mammoths, and different kinds of deer. Bison, sheep, and muskoxen also moved this way.
Other animals traveled from North America to Asia. These included ancient horses and camels. Some small animals, like lemmings and voles, moved back and forth many times.
Cool Discoveries and Research
Scientists at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre do important research. They study ancient plants and animals. This helps us understand what Beringia was like long ago.
Fossils Found in Yukon
Recent studies have found amazing fossils in the Yukon. These include bones from giant beavers. There are also fossils of huge moose and ancient camels. Scientists have found parts of American mastodons and powerful scimitar cats. Even bones from the giant short-faced bear have been discovered.
Scientists use Radiocarbon dating to find out how old these fossils are. This helps them learn more about when these animals lived. They also found very old whitefish fossils. These fish lived about 2 million years ago!
Who Runs the Centre?
The Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre is managed by the Government of Yukon. Specifically, the Department of Tourism and Culture helps guide its activities.
Working with Others
The centre works with other groups. It is part of the Alliance of Natural Museums of Natural History of Canada. It also works with the Virtual Museum of Canada. This helps them share their amazing discoveries with more people.
