Ice Age Wolf's Last Meal Reveals Secrets of Woolly Rhinos

In the frozen lands of Siberia, a 14, 400-year-old wolf puppy's final meal has opened a window into the past. Inside this ancient predator's stomach, scientists discovered remnants of a woolly rhino, a massive creature that once roamed the tundras of Europe and Asia. This unexpected find has allowed researchers to sequence the genome of a woolly rhino, providing new insights into the species' last days. The wolf puppy and its sibling were found preserved in the permafrost near the Siberian village of Tumat. When scientists examined the puppy's remains, they found traces of its last meal still intact. DNA analysis confirmed that the meat was from a woolly rhino, and the puppy was indeed a wolf, not a dog. Extracting the rhino's DNA from the wolf's stomach was a complex task, but the results were worth it. The genome of the woolly rhino revealed that it came from a healthy population, with no signs of inbreeding. This was surprising, as the woolly rhino was on the brink of extinction around this time. The species' range had been shrinking for thousands of years, but the genome suggested that the population was still stable and genetically diverse.Further analysis of an even older woolly rhino genome, dating back 49, 000 years, showed that the species had experienced a significant population drop between 114, 000 and 63, 000 years ago. However, the population seemed to stabilize after that. Ecologists believe that a population of around 1, 000 breeding individuals is necessary to avoid genetic pitfalls like inbreeding and genetic drift. The sudden disappearance of woolly rhinos from the fossil record around 14, 000 years ago has puzzled scientists. The genome of the Tumat rhino showed no signs of the genetic issues that often precede extinction. This suggests that the species' demise may have been rapid and caused by external factors, such as climate change. The Bølling–Allerød interstadial, a period of rapid warming between 14, 700 and 12, 800 years ago, likely played a significant role in the woolly rhino's extinction. The sudden changes in climate and environment may have been too much for the species to adapt to. Understanding the fate of the woolly rhino can provide valuable insights into the impact of climate change on modern species facing extinction.