Pups from the Ice Age found to be wolves not dogs
A pair of Ice Age wolf pups, once believed to be early dogs, have been identified as wild wolves through detailed DNA and chemical analysis. What’s more, their last meals, including woolly rhinoceros, an unusually large animal, hints that these ancient wolves may have been bigger than those we see today. The well-preserved bodies of the pups shed light on the animals and their environment, 14,000 years ago.
The genetic animal also found that the pair were sisters around two months old. Like today’s wolves, they had a mixed diet of plants and meat but the discovery of a woolly rhinoceros as part of their final meal surprised researchers. The woolly rhinoceros would be a large animal for wolves to hunt.
The Tumat Puppies, as they are known, are two remarkably well-preserved pups found in northern Siberia, around 40km away from Tumat, a nearby village. One was discovered in 2011 and the other was found at what is now known as the Syalakh site in 2015. They were uncovered in layers of soil, preserved in ice, alongside the bones of woolly mammoths. Some of the mammoths fond there show evidence of burning and processing by humans and it is possible that these puppies have had some connection to people.
There are no visible injuries or signs of attack in either wolf, making it likely that they were inside an underground den, possibly resting after a meal. It is thought that a landslide may have collapsed their home, trapping the pair inside.
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