Perfectly preserved lion cubs that died 44,000 years ago

The pair of cubs were believed to be siblings both born 44,000 years ago.

In fact one of the famous extinct cave lions named Spartak has been found to be female not male, and will need to be rechristened as Sparta.

And she was born 18,000 years after the cub found next to her named Boris, it now emerges.

Complete restoration works on the baby cave lions, preserved superbly in the Siberian permafrost, reveals a sensational level of pelt and hair preservation.