YORK, England — A pair of remarkably preserved ice age specimens once thought to be early domesticated dogs are now identified as wolf pups, according to new research findings.
Known as the Tumat Puppies, these mummies were discovered in Northern Siberia, where they had remained encased in ice for nearly 14,000 years. The remains still bear fur and reveal traces of their last meals, including woolly rhinoceros meat and feathers from wagtails.
Initially believed to be domesticated canids that coexisted with humans, the latest genetic analysis—published Thursday in the journal Quaternary Research—indicates these animals were 2-month-old wolves that show no evidence of human interaction.
The sisters were found near ancient woolly mammoth bones, which appeared to have been butchered by humans, suggesting they inhabited a location close to human activity. However, the study reveals that the pups likely died from a sudden den collapse, possibly triggered by a landslide.
Lead author Anne Kathrine Wiborg Runge, formerly of the University of York and the University of Copenhagen, expressed fascination at the level of detail the research provides. “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 that they ate,” she stated. “Whilst many will be disappointed that these animals are almost certainly wolves and not early domesticated dogs, they have helped us get closer to understanding the environment at the time.”
The Tumat Puppies were unearthed in separate excavations at the Syalakh site, about 25 miles from the village of Tumat—one in 2011 and the other in 2015. Their well-preserved remains have helped researchers draw parallels to the dietary habits of contemporary wolves, confirming that they consumed both plants and meat.
Dr. Nathan Wales, a senior lecturer in archaeology at the University of York and a co-author of the study, noted, “The most surprising thing to me is that the archaeologists managed to discover the second Tumat Puppy several years after the first was found. It is very rare to find two specimens that are so well preserved and then they turn out to be siblings/littermates. It’s extraordinary.”
The evidence indicates that the pups had likely consumed woolly rhino materials shortly before their demise. Notably, they were still nursing from their mother. Despite their close proximity to human remains, there is no evidence of humans incorporating the pups into their feeding habits. Wales suggested that it is more likely adult wolves were providing for the young wolves.
The study emphasizes the challenges researchers face in determining the origins of early dogs, historically recognized as humanity’s first domesticated animal. Various hypotheses suggest that the domestication process might have involved wolves living alongside humans or being hand-raised by them.
Runge explained the complexities of drawing conclusions from such ancient specimens, stating, “We have to try to account for our own biases and preconceived notions based on human-wolf interactions today.”
The genetic data from the cubs offers compelling evidence that they are descendants of a now-extinct wolf population, not directly related to modern dogs. “When we’re talking about the origins of dogs, we’re talking about the very first domesticated animal,” emphasized Wales. “And for that reason, scientists have to have really solid evidence to make claims of early dogs.”
As researchers continue to seek clarity on the timeline and nature of dog domestication, Dr. Linus Girdland-Flink of the University of Aberdeen noted that identifying remains like the Tumat Puppies is complicated. Without clear evidence or cave art depicting ancient wolf-human interactions, it remains difficult to delineate the roles these creatures played in prehistoric ecosystems.
“Instead, we have to bring together different lines of proxy evidence—archaeological, morphological, genetic, ecological—and think about how they all fit,” Girdland-Flink advised, expressing support for the new study’s multi-disciplinary approach.