Researchers have recently uncovered fascinating insights into the woolly rhinoceros, thanks to a remarkable find in Siberia. In 2011, a well-preserved two-month-old wolf cub was discovered near Tumat, mummified in the permafrost. This cub, estimated to have died about 14,400 years ago, provides a unique glimpse into past ecosystems.
The icy conditions of Siberia kept the wolf cub intact, even preserving its stomach contents. Among these was a piece of woolly rhinoceros, an enormous herbivore that went extinct about 14,000 years ago. Dr. Camilo Chacón-Duque, a researcher at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Sweden, highlighted the significance of this finding. If the team could decode the rhino’s genetic material from the wolf’s meal, it might tell us more about the last days of this species.
With the genetic code of the woolly rhinoceros recovered from the partially digested tissue, it marks a significant achievement. This is the first genome of an ice age animal retrieved from another animal’s stomach. Dr. Chacón-Duque noted the importance of understanding the genetic state of the species just before its extinction.
Typically, when a species is declining, scientists see signs of “genomic erosion,” where problems in genetic diversity arise. Surprisingly, Chacón-Duque and his team found that this woolly rhinoceros did not display these signs. Their comparison with older rhino specimens revealed that the population had been stable and healthy until a rapid decline occurred, likely within the last few centuries of their existence.
Interestingly, Dr. Love Dalén, a professor of evolutionary genomics, pointed out that woolly rhinos thrived for around 15,000 years after humans first appeared in their habitat. This suggests that the main factor behind their extinction might not have been hunting, but rather a significant climate change during the last ice age known as the Bølling-Allerød Interstadial.
The reason the wolf cub had woolly rhino in its diet remains a mystery. It could have scavenged the remains or perhaps received it from a pack member. Furthermore, in 2015, researchers found another wolf cub at the same site, suggesting these siblings were likely still nursing despite beginning to eat solid food.
This discovery has sparked curiosity and discussions on social media. People are intrigued by the idea that ancient ecosystems were so interconnected, and species like these had complex interactions. As we study these remnants of the past, they remind us of the fragile balance of life and the impact of climate change on species survival.
For more details and research findings, the study is published in Genome Biology and Evolution.
