A 57,000-year-old wolf pup perfectly preserved in permafrost finally unveils its secrets after it was discovered nearly four years ago.
The gray wolf, known as Zhùr by locals, was discovered in Yukon, Canada, near Dawson City, according to a study published in Current Biology. The 7-week-old female pup is believed to be in her den when she died, the study’s lead author, Julie Meachen, said in a statement.
“We think she was in her hole and died instantly from the cave collapse,” said Meachen. “Our data showed that she wasn’t starving and was about 7 weeks old when she died, so we feel a little bit better knowing the poor girl didn’t suffer too long.”
Dating back 57,000 years, this mummified wolf cub has been excavated – completely frozen in time. (Credit: SWNS)
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The researchers examined the wolf pup through a variety of methods, including radiocarbon dating, DNA sampling, and oxygen isotope analysis to confirm when the mammal died. The researchers also took X-rays of his teeth and bones to confirm age.
Meachen added that the wolf cub is “the most complete wolf mummy ever found,” noting that all that’s missing are her eyes.
The head, tail, legs, fur, and skin of the Ice Age creature were perfectly preserved in the permafrost. (Credit: SWNS)
“And the fact that she is so complete enabled us to ask so many questions about her to essentially reconstruct her life,” Meachen explained.
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The researchers were also able to analyze the puppy’s diet, which was influenced by where she lived.
“When you think of Ice Age wolves, you normally think of eating bison, musk oxen or other large land animals,” Meachen explained. “One thing that surprised us was that she was eating aquatic resources, especially salmon.”
(Credit: Des Moines University)
The frozen wolf pup is of additional interest 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 were asked why she was the only wolf found in the den and what happened to her mother or siblings,” Meachen continued. “She may have been an only puppy. Or the other wolves weren’t in the den during the collapse. Unfortunately we will never know. ‘