Revolutionary Study Reveals Surprising Truth About Ice-Age ‘Tumat Puppies’

When two puppies were found in the Siberian permafrost, they looked perfectly preserved, like ancient popsicles. At first, scientists thought they were early pet dogs. However, new research shows they were actually wolves. What’s even more surprising? These Ice Age pups hunted woolly rhinoceroses, which is quite a feat for such young canines.

The story began in 2011 when ivory hunters from Tumat, a small village in Northern Siberia, stumbled upon one of the puppies. The other was found four years later at the same site. An international team of researchers from the University of York studied these two remarkable specimens.

Genetic tests revealed that the puppies were female siblings, probably living about 14,000 years ago. They didn’t make it past seven to nine weeks old, but their remains offer a glimpse into their world. Their discovery near the bones of woolly mammoths, some of which showed signs of burning and cutting, hinted that they may have had ties to early human activities. However, further testing showed these pups were likely part of a wolf population that has no connection to modern dogs.

One reason scientists thought they might be domesticated dogs was the black color of their fur, linked to a genetic mutation in dogs today. It turns out these pups were exceptions, belonging to a lineage of wolves that vanished.

“Many will be disappointed to find these animals are nearly certainly wolves, not early domesticated dogs,” said Anne Kathrine Runge from the University of York. She emphasized how this research deepens our understanding of wolf evolution and how these ancient creatures were similar to today’s wolves.

Interestingly, the puppies’ stomach contents revealed both plants and the remains of a woolly rhinoceros. “Hunting such a large animal, even a baby, suggests these wolves were perhaps bigger than today’s, but their behavior was similar since wolves often hunt easier prey to care for their young,” added Dr. Nathan Wales, another study author.

Though the Tumat Puppies are not the link to early domestic dogs many hoped for, their story provides intriguing insights. They reveal much about the lives of ancient wolf populations that roamed the harsh Ice Age landscape.

For those curious about such biological findings, this study is published in the journal Quaternary Research. The tale of these ancient wolves continues to enrich our understanding of canine history and evolution.

Source link