Prehistoric wolf unearthed in Siberia reveals ancient diet and health secrets

The Siberian permafrost still holds many secrets.

In 2021, the body of a prehistoric wolf was discovered in the Siberian permafrost near the Tirekhtyakh River in Russia's Abyysky District. The predator, more than 44,000 years old, was transported to the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Sakha in Yakutia and subjected to an autopsy by scientists from the Mammoth Museum of the North-Eastern University and the European University in Saint Petersburg. Researchers sought information about ancient viruses and microbiota and insights into the animal's diet.

During the autopsy, conducted under sterile conditions, samples of the internal organs and the contents of the gastrointestinal tract were taken, reports IFL Science. Scientists hope to learn more about its diet and health by analysing the bacteria in the wolf's intestines. "Its stomach has remained isolated, without contamination," said Albert Protopopov from the Academy of Sciences of Yakutia.

"As a result of the dissection, we hope to get an instantaneous cross-section of the biota of the ancient Pleistocene period," he concluded.

Potentially living bacteria

Scientists believe some microorganisms inside the wolf's body might have survived thousands of years in a state of hibernation.

"Our scientific cooperation with the NEFU Mammoth Museum has allowed us to learn more about the bacteria that inhabited the mammoth steppe, starting from the Pleistocene period. We see that living bacteria can survive in fossil animal finds for thousands of years," noted Professor Artemy Goncharov from the Northwestern State Medical University.

Scientists hope that the discovered microorganisms may have applications in modern medicine.

This is not the only valuable specimen at the North-Eastern University. Recently, they received another frozen wolf from the Nizhnekolymsky region in Yakutia, which will be studied after the current analyses are completed. The permafrost in this part of the world is ideal for preserving and storing prehistoric animals, such as the recently discovered bird from around 49,000 years ago or the beautifully preserved puppy named "Dogor."

This last one was found in the Siberian permafrost in Sakha in 2018. The puppy was two months old when it died, and scientists now estimate its age to be 18,000 years. It is a unique specimen because researchers are dealing with very well-preserved fur, head, and eyelashes. The animal even has preserved baby teeth. Experts are trying to determine whose ancestor "Dogor" was, as genetic tests show that it is neither a wolf nor a dog, which means it could be the elusive ancestor of both species.

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