A new study has revealed interesting information about a mummified wolf cub that has been found in Canadian permafrost. Scientists say the little creature discovered by miners in the Yukon is “the most complete wolf mummy known.” They have been studying this excellent specimen for several years and have finally announced details about various aspects of the baby’s life, including his age, diet and the probable cause of his death.
The story of the wolf cub appeared in 2018, announcing that the chick and a caribou calf were discovered by miners looking for gold in the Yukon. The discovery of the two animals from the ice age in such a large state is rare and has excited scientists and the local community. Mummified remains are important because they can help scientists better understand the life of animals in the ice age and the conditions in the environment tens of thousands of years ago.
This photo shows the baby wolf when it was found. (Yukon Government)
New perspectives on the life and death of the wolf cub
Now a new study published in the journal Current biology declares that the wolf cub is a woman and was named Zhur, which means “wolf”, by the local people Tr’ondek Hwech’in. DNA analysis and X-ray data revealed many aspects of the wolf’s life. For example, scientists have discovered that Zhur lived and died between 56,000 and 57,000 years ago. The baby wolf is related to the ancient Beringian and Russian wolves and died when he was about 7 weeks old.
Professor Julie Meachen, a paleontologist and professor of anatomy at Des Moines University in Iowa, also told reporters how the young wolf died, saying, “We think he was in her lair and died instantly when the beam collapsed. Our data showed that he did not starve and was about 7 weeks old when he died, so we feel a little better knowing that the poor girl did not suffer too long.
In their research, the scientists also discovered what Zhur ate and it was a surprise. “Normally, when you think of wolves in the ice age, you think of those that eat bison or musk oxen or other large animals on land,” said Meachen. “One thing that surprised us was that they ate aquatic resources, especially salmon ”.
An X-ray view of the mummified wolf cub. (Yukon Government)
Animals mummified in Permafrost
In the territories beyond the Arctic Circle, there have been numerous discoveries of mummified remains of extinct and existing animal species from the ancient past. In Siberia, there have been exciting discoveries of animals mummified in permafrost. In August 2018, an almost 40,000-year-old foal was discovered in the Yakutia region of Siberia, which is famous for such discoveries. The remains can be almost perfectly preserved due to the extreme Arctic conditions that freeze dead animals, slowing down or even stopping the natural degradation processes.
The foal that was found in the Batagai Yakutia crater in 2018. (Image: The Siberian Times )
The Yukon, a northwestern Canadian territory, is famous for its Klondike gold rush in the late 19th century. Today, the area is dominated by large and dense forests, but in the past it was part of the Beringia desert tundra. Here, extinct animals, such as camels and woolly mammoths, lived with the ancestors of existing mammals, such as caribou, who now live in the Yukon.
Mummified caribou found in the Yukon. (© Government of Canada, Canadian Institute of Conservation )
Paleontological gold
The discovery of the caribou calf mentioned above was made by several miners who continue to extract gold in the Yukon long after the end of the Klondike gold rush. The mummy was found in June 2016 in a gold mining region owned by a well-known Canadian reality star. The caribou was found at “the site of an 80,000-year-old bed of volcanic ash,” according to USA Today.
In July 2016, the wolf cub was discovered by another gold miner working in the area. Both have been very well preserved and, according to Smithsonian.com, “the fur, skin and muscles of both animals are almost perfectly preserved.” Due to their remarkable condition, they offer some of the oldest specimens of mummified mammalian soft tissue in the world.
The wolf cub and the Caribou calf
The wolf cub is the best preserved of the two creatures of the ice age and even its fur is in relatively good condition. The condition of the caribou is not as good, but the head, upper torso and front legs are complete and, according to Smithsonian.com, “provide a unique example of mummified animal skin, muscle and hair.”
A modern Canadian wolf (Canis lupus) at Chapultepec Zoo. ( CC BY-SA 4.0 )
The two specimens were removed from the ground and the scientists performed a series of tests on the mummified remains. Carbon dating has revealed that the caribou probably lived earlier than the wolf cub. They are among the first specimens ever discovered in an Arctic region.
Ice beasts
Nor is this the first significant discovery in Canadian permafrost. About 30 years ago, two miners found the incomplete mummified remains of a long-extinct horse species known as the Yukon Horse. However, the discovery of caribou and wolf cubs is very significant, as they are the oldest soft tissue specimens that have been unearthed in Canada. Now, Canadians have specimens that can compete with anything found in the Yakutia of Siberia.
In 1993, Sam Olynyk, Lee Olynyk and Ron Toewes found at Last Chance Creek, near Dawson City, the most complete and best-preserved specimen of a mummified extinct animal in Canada, the Equus lambei or the Yukon horse. ( CC BY-NC 2.0)
The importance of discoveries
The discovery of the caribou and the wolf cub is truly significant. Mummified animal tests are expected to “help scientists learn more about the ancient mammal species that roamed Beringia,” said Tourism and Culture Minister Jeanie Dendys, according to a Yukon government press release. Premiere Sandy Silver further praised the discovery, saying:
“These world-class discoveries shed light on the fascinating history of the Yukon Ice Age and will help us understand how these long-lived creatures lived in the environment in which they lived.”
Both the wolf cub and the caribou are “very important and interconnected” for the inhabitants of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation. Chief Roberta Joseph said:
“The caribou has fed and clothed us for thousands of years. The wolf maintains balance in the natural world, keeping the caribou healthy. These were an amazing discovery and a great opportunity to work with the Yukon Government and our community partners. ”
Locals Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in agreed to place Zhur and the caribou chick on display at the Yukon Beringia Interpretation Center in Whitehorse. Zhur in particular is so “clean and preserved” that EurekAlert! reports that “it will remain intact for years to come, allowing it to travel to other locations in the Yukon.”
Top image: Mummified wolf cub found in the Yukon. Source: © The Yukon Government
By Ed Whelan
Updated December 23, 2020.