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Remains of 14,400-year-old wolf pups may reveal the true cause of the extinction of woolly rhinoceros
The mummified remains of two wolf pups more than 14,000 years old may offer an unexpected answer to one of science’s great questions: what caused the extinction of woolly rhinoceros? Thanks to the remains preserved in permafrost, researchers were able to reconstruct the complete genome of an Ice Age specimen, leading to surprising conclusions about why this ancient species disappeared.
The Ice Age world was full of enormous animals that are now extinct: woolly mammoths, sabre-toothed tigers and the legendary woolly rhinoceros. These creatures dominated the harsh landscapes of the Northern Hemisphere for thousands of years, adapting to cold and extreme conditions, yet they vanished from the face of the Earth in a relatively short period of time. What caused their demise? According to a recent study, an entirely unexpected source may now provide new answers: the preserved stomach contents of wolf pups that lived 14,400 years ago.
The link between the extinction of woolly rhinoceros and the Tumat wolf pups
Near Tumat in Siberia, researchers discovered two exceptionally well-preserved mummified wolf pups. Their fur, skin and teeth remained intact in the permafrost, and their stomach contents surprisingly included a piece of meat from a woolly rhinoceros. This extraordinary find made it possible for scientists, thousands of years later, to reconstruct the entire genome of the female animal that had been eaten.
The extinction of woolly rhinoceros has long intrigued scientists. Although the animals disappeared a few centuries after the wolf pups died, the exact cause is still unknown. Leading theories include climate change, human hunting and inbreeding. However, the newly sequenced genome produced a surprising result: the consumed specimen was genetically healthy and showed no signs of decline or inbreeding.
This discovery suggests that the extinction of woolly rhinoceros was not the result of a long, gradual deterioration. On the contrary, the species still had viable populations shortly before its disappearance. This fact further strengthens the hypothesis that a sudden external factor caused their extinction.
What does this tell us about climate change?
According to researchers, the most likely explanation lies in rapid climate change. Shortly after the extinction of woolly rhinoceros, the Northern Hemisphere entered a warming period known as the Bølling–Allerød interstadial. Although this did not directly cause the animals’ deaths, it fundamentally altered the conditions of their habitat. The warmer, wetter climate may have eliminated their main food sources, meaning the rhinoceroses simply could not adapt to the new environment.
The changing environment may, however, have benefited humans, as better living conditions could have increased hunting intensity and the transformation of habitats, further reducing the chances of survival for these massive animals. The extinction of woolly rhinoceros may therefore have been the result of several factors acting together.
Another possibility has also been raised: an unexpected catastrophic event, such as a virus or a natural disaster. According to earlier studies, a similar scenario may have occurred in the case of the last woolly mammoths. Although the mammoth population was already genetically weak, an unforeseen event may ultimately have brought about their final extinction.
Why do the extinction of woolly rhinoceros matter today?
The extinction of woolly rhinoceros can be seen as a serious warning for the present day. Genetically, the species appeared healthy, yet it disappeared from the Earth within a few hundred years. This shows that even seemingly stable populations can be extremely vulnerable when exposed to sudden environmental changes.
This is a crucial lesson for modern conservation efforts. Protecting a species depends not only on its current condition, but also on how well it can adapt to a rapidly changing environment. The extinction of woolly rhinoceros warns us that the effects of climate change should not be underestimated.