A 57,000-year-old wolf pup perfectly preserved in permafrost is finally unlocking its secrets after it was discovered nearly four years ago.
The grey wolf, known as Zhùr by locals, was discovered in Yukon, Canada, near Dawson City, according to a study published in Current Biology. It's believed the 7-week-old female pup was in her den when she died, the study's lead author, Julie Meachen, said in a statement.
"We think she was in her den and died instantaneously by den collapse," Meachen said. "Our data showed that she didn’t starve and was about 7 weeks old when she died, so we feel a bit better knowing the poor little girl didn’t suffer for too long."
This mummified wolf pup dating back 57,000 years has been unearthed - entirely frozen in time. (Credit: SWNS)
SCIENTISTS WANT TO CLONE THIS EXTINCT, FROZEN PREHISTORIC HORSE
The researchers examined the wolf pup via several different methods, including radiocarbon dating, DNA sampling and oxygen isotope analysis to confirm when the mammal died. The researchers also took X-rays of its teeth and bones to confirm its age.
Meachen added that the wolf pup is "the most complete wolf mummy that's ever been found," noting the only thing missing are her eyes.
The Ice Age creature's head, tail, paws, fur and skin were perfectly preserved in the permafrost. (Credit: SWNS)
"And the fact that she’s so complete allowed us to do so many lines of inquiry on her to basically reconstruct her life," Meachen explained.
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The researchers were also able to analyze the pup's diet, which was influenced by where she lived.
"Normally when you think of wolves in the Ice Age, you think of them eating bison or musk oxen or other large animals on land," Meachen explained. "One thing that surprised us was that she was eating aquatic resources, particularly salmon."
(Credit: Des Moines University)
The frozen wolf pup is of added importance because it was discovered in North America and not Russia or Siberia, where others have been found, including one unearthed in June 2019.
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"We’ve been asked why she was the only wolf found in the den, and what happened to her mom or siblings," Meachen continued. "It could be that she was an only pup. Or the other wolves weren’t in the den during the collapse. Unfortunately, we’ll never know."
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