A mummified wolf cub lived in northern Canada at least 56,000 years ago. Photo/EurekAlerte!
Scientists revealed that the she-wolf had been hidden in the ice for tens of thousands of years and was discovered by a gold prospector near the town of Dawson, in the Yukon province, in 2016.
Since then, the mummy has been given the name Zhur, meaning wolf, by the local Tr’ondek Hwech’in people.
Scientists now say that the wolf pup, whose skin, hair and teeth are still intact, is the most complete wolf mummy ever known. (Also read: Not only American submarines, but also Israeli submarines intimidate Iran)
“It was almost 100% intact, only its eyes were missing,” lead researcher Professor Julie Meachen, a paleontologist and professor of anatomy at the University of Des Moines in Iowa, told EurekAlert! (See Infographic: Christmas decorations are now sold openly in Saudi Arabia)
Using a variety of techniques, the team was able to determine many aspects of the cub’s life, from its age and diet to the possible cause of its death. (See video: Jokowi reshuffles six senior Indonesian cabinet ministers)
The findings, published Monday in the journal Current Biology, show that the wolf pup and its mother ate “aquatic food sources,” including fish like salmon.
By comparing data from the wolf’s DNA and analysis of its tooth enamel, they discovered that the wolf cub likely lived and died between 56,000 and 57,000 years ago.
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