The frozen remains of two small cubs, discovered in northern Siberia and initially thought to be early domesticated dogs, have been confirmed as wolf cubs that lived more than 14,000 years ago. The cubs, found approximately 25 miles from the village of Tumat, were so well-preserved by permafrost that researchers could study their diets, lifestyles, and causes of death. New research from the University of York tells a different story from the initial speculation that the cubs might have been living among humans or scavenging near human settlements.
Scientists studied genetic material from the cubs’ stomachs, along with chemical signals in their bones, teeth, and tissue. The data indicated the cubs were wolves that lived wild and free. The cubs were about two months old and still nursing, but they were also eating solid food, including meat from a woolly rhinoceros and, in one case, a small bird called a wagtail.
The presence of undigested rhino skin in one cub’s stomach suggests how recently they had eaten—and how abruptly their lives ended. Anne Kathrine Runge from the University of York’s Department of Archaeology said, “It was incredible to find two sisters from this era so well preserved, but even more incredible that we can now tell so much of their story, down to the last meal they ate.”
The cubs showed no signs of injury or attack. Researchers believe they were resting in their den, possibly after feeding, when a landslide or collapse trapped them.
The wolf cubs‘ stomachs contained fossilized remains of plants, including prairie grasses, willow twigs, and leaves from shrubs, suggesting they lived in a varied and rich ecosystem full of edible plants and animals.
Ancient cubs’ well-preserved remains
Despite their proximity to mammoth bones, there was no sign that the cubs ate mammoth meat.
Instead, researchers found clear evidence of meat from woolly rhinoceroses in their diet. Dr. Nathan Wales from the University of York’s Department of Archaeology explained, “We know grey wolves have been around as a species for hundreds of thousands of years based on skeletal remains from paleontological sites, and researchers have done DNA testing of some of those remains to understand how the population changed over time.”
He noted that the soft tissues preserved in the Tumat cubs provide another fascinating way of investigating the wolf evolutionary line.
“We can see that their diets were varied, consisting of both animal meat and plant life, much like that of modern wolves,” he said. “And we have an insight into their breeding behaviors, too. The pair were sisters and likely being reared in a den and cared for by their pack—all common characteristics of breeding and raising offspring in wolves today.”
This study does more than shed light on two ancient cubs.
It also leaves an open question: When and where did dogs emerge from their wolf ancestors? While the Tumat “puppies” are not the key to unlocking the origin of domestic dogs, they are a vital piece of the puzzle. Somewhere, buried in the frost or hidden in ancient sediments, the first true dog still waits to be found.
Deanna Ritchie is a managing editor at DevX. She has a degree in English Literature. She has written 2000+ articles on getting out of debt and mastering your finances. She has edited over 60,000 articles in her life. She has a passion for helping writers inspire others through their words. Deanna has also been an editor at Entrepreneur Magazine and ReadWrite.
