44,000-Year-Old Mummified Wolf Could Reveal Secrets From The Past
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A mummified adult wolf could offer scientists valuable insights into the late Pleistocene era (129,000 to 11,700 years ago). The animal was buried in thick permafrost for over 44,000 years. It was unearthed by the residents of Sakha, Russia, in 2021. The specimen boasted well-preserved teeth, fur, and internal organs, including the stomach. It was the first complete adult wolf found from the late Ice Age.
Nearly three years later, on June 25, 2024, Russian scientists announced they had completed the ancient animal's autopsy. Preliminary dental analysis revealed that the wolf was a fierce predator. It probably hunted in a flat, cold environment full of animals like mammoths, wooly rhinos, and ancient bison.
"It was a very active predator, one of the larger ones. Slightly smaller than cave lions and bears, but a very active, mobile predator, and it was also a scavenger," said Albert Protopopov, a researcher at Russia's Yakutia Academy of Sciences.
The scientists will next examine samples from the internal organs, particularly the stomach, for clues about the wolf's lifestyle, diet, and possible cause of death.
"His stomach has been preserved in an isolated form, there are no contaminants, so the task is not trivial," said Protopopov. "We hope to obtain a snapshot of the biota of the ancient Pleistocene."
The researchers also plan to look for ancient microbes in the animal's stomach. Certain bacteria and viruses can live for thousands of years when preserved in ice. If found, these microbes could lead to groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
"It is possible that microorganisms will be discovered that can be used in medicine and biotechnology as promising producers of biologically active substances," said team member Artemy Goncharov.
This wolf autopsy is part of an ongoing extensive study of the remains of several other animals from the late Ice Age. They include ancient hares, an extinct horse, and a bear.
Resources: Businessinsider.com, Livescience.com, CNN.com, NPR.org
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104 Comments
urlocalcapybara27 daysThat was so long age, that was from 42,000 BCE (I googled it)
wygodakilesuabout 1 monththat OLD!
svalenciaabout 1 monthTHAT WAS SO LONG AGO!- nuvubudawobuabout 2 months44,000 YEARS that is crazyyyy
kittycatlover11about 2 monthsSo cool!
britneytunabout 2 monthsWhy does it look like it went through a lot?
lilysatikuvi3 months44,000 years is crazy 😲
dalke324 monthshow did it stay so in tact- sadiee27873 monthsMummies do not decompose because they are preserved through either intentional or accidental processes that remove moisture and prevent bacterial growth. This happen through desiccation (drying out the body), extreme cold, low humidity, or lack of air, all of which inhibit the decay process!
- dream34 monthsSooooo cooool!
halamadrid5 monthsAwesome