Scientists Discover “Frosty” Ancient Rhino Species in Canada’s High Arctic

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Quick Take

• Fossil remains of a new rhinocerotid species have been found by scientists from the Canadian Museum of Nature in the Canadian High Arctic.

• It was named Epiatheracerium itjilik after consultation with an Inuit Elder, meaning ‘frosty’.

• The finding indicates that the Arctic region played a significant role in the evolution of these animals.

The discovery of a previously unknown ancient rhino species is exciting on its own, but the fact that it was found in the High Arctic makes the story even more intriguing. This exceptionally well-preserved skeleton has a lot to teach us about rhinoceros evolution.

How Was a Rhino Fossil Discovered and Named in the Arctic?

Scientists from the Canadian Museum of Nature discovered the fossil remains of a rhinocerotid species in the Canadian High Arctic and announced it in a scientific paper published in October 2025 . The nearly complete skeleton was found in a lake within Haughton Crater on Devon Island, Nunavut.

There are only five rhino species alive today, and they are all pretty big! However, among the approximately 50 known fossils of extinct rhinocerotids, there is significant variation in size. This creature was small and similar in size to the modern Indian rhinoceros . It did not have a horn. This particular individual is thought to have been in early or mid-adulthood due to the wear on its cheek teeth.

The team wanted to honor the rhino’s High Arctic heritage,  so before naming the species, they consulted with Jarloo Kiguktak, an Inuit elder and former mayor of Grise Fiord, the northernmost Inuit community in Canada. Jarloo Kiguktak has already participated in multiple paleontological expeditions in the High Arctic. The name chosen was Epiatheracerium itjilik . ‘Itjilik’ means ‘frosty’ in Inuktitut.

Why Is the Frosty Rhino Fossil So Significant?

This is the most northerly rhino species ever recorded. It inspired the research team to look again at the evolutionary and biogeographic history of rhinocerotids. Biogeography is the study of how animals and plants evolved and dispersed over time.

The team examined and mapped 57 other rhinocerotid taxa. Their findings show that the Arctic regions played a significant role in the evolution of these animals. Additionally, rhinos may have migrated between Europe and North America via the now-vanished North Atlantic Land Bridge for a longer period than previously thought. Moreover, it reinforces the importance of the Arctic as a key region for paleontological research.

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