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Still snarling after 40,000 years, a giant Pleistocene wolf discovered in Yakutia

By 0 and 0 and 0
07 June 2019

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The Pleistocene wolf’s head is 40cm long, so half of the whole body length of a modern wolf which varies from 66 to 86cm. Picture: Albert Protopopov

The severed head of the world’s first full-sized Pleistocene wolf was unearthed in the Abyisky district in the north of Yakutia. 

Local man Pavel Efimov found it in summer 2018 on shore of the Tirekhtyakh River, tributary of Indigirka.

The wolf, whose rich mammoth-like fur and impressive fangs are still intact, was fully grown and aged from two to four years old when it died. 

Pleistocene wolf

The wolf, whose rich mammoth-like fur and impressive fangs are still intact, was fully grown and aged from two to four years old when it died. Picture: Albert Protopopov

The head was dated older than 40,000 years by Japanese scientists.

Scientists at the Swedish Museum of Natural History will examine the Pleistocene predator’s DNA.

‘This is a unique discovery of the first ever remains of a fully grown Pleistocene wolf with its tissue preserved. We will be comparing it to modern-day wolves to understand how the species has evolved and to reconstruct its appearance,’ said an excited Albert Protopopov, from the Republic of Sakha Academy of Sciences. 

Map

Local man Pavel Efimov found it in summer 2018 on shore of the Tirekhtyakh River, tributary of Indigirka.

The Pleistocene wolf’s head is 40cm long, so half of the whole body length of a modern wolf which varies from 66 to 86cm. 

The astonishing discovery was announced in Tokyo, Japan, during the opening of a grandiose Woolly Mammoth exhibition organised by Yakutian and Japanese scientists. 

CT scan


CT scan


CT scan

CT scan of the wolf's head. Pictures: Albert Protopopov, Naoki Suzuki

Alongside the wolf the scientists presented an immaculately-well preserved cave lion cub. 

‘Their muscles, organs and brains are in good condition,’ said Naoki Suzuki, a professor of palaeontology and medicine with the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, who studied the remains with a CT scanner. 

‘We want to assess their physical capabilities and ecology by comparing them with the lions and wolves of today.’

Pleistocene wolf


Pleistocene wolf

‘This is a unique discovery of the first ever remains of a fully grown Pleistocene wolf with its tissue preserved.' Pictures: Naoki Suzuki

The cave lion cub named Spartak - previously announced - is about 40cm long and weighed about 800 grams. 

Scientists believe the cub died shortly after birth. 

The recent discovery follows that of the remains of three cave lions in 2015 and 2017 by the same team.

The cave lion cub named Spartak - previously announced - is about 40cm long and weighed about 800 grams. Pictures: The Siberian Times, YSIA

Spartak


Spartak


Research


Frozen cave lion cub

Comments (150)

What a wonderful discovery, complete with brains and fur! I look forward to reading more about this when the research is published. Congratulations to the team!
Myra C., TN/USA
09/06/2019 22:52
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I see bunch of idols across the world, thinking that all Americans are dum, I am American, and I'm capably fine reading ur dates, and this is a wonderful find, this could be apart of the wolves evolution tree, as it is not well developed skull, or it could have been changed due to pressures before it came above land, and yes people wolves ears are rounded, not pointed Like dogs, put I can't wait to learn more about this 40,000s yr old remains of a wolf species :3
Vitalis wolf, Orlando, FL, United States
09/06/2019 21:42
5
25
Beautiful find!
Its day, month, year. Smaller denominations to larger. The US military does this the same way. It just makes sense.
Aaron , US
09/06/2019 20:42
9
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America is the best country in the history of the world. My people are poor, inbred peasant alcoholics who yearn for the freedoms of the USA. USA #1!
Vladamir Putin, Moscow, Russia
09/06/2019 20:21
41
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So adorable! Let’s clone him!
Donny, Nashville USA
09/06/2019 19:58
16
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In Europe all things are written from day-month-year it is also done this way in the military (even the US military) and this is clearly a wolf and not a bear. You only need to compare the skulls to see this is a wolf.
Nisa, Naples
09/06/2019 19:58
14
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SMH...my peeps...USA...ur embarrassing the crap out of the rest of us who paid attention in our shitty American schools! Come on! Gotta know it all these days, even if it's obvious ur wrong?? They teach us in high school how different countries around the globe use a different format for dates, time, math...etc. Think, even Google!, before u speak please!





To other countries, who are rightfully annoyed by us...my apologies, we're not all that pigheaded and stuck up. We can't all choose where we were born, I guess. It's a mess over here! But, some of us do practice common sense and have manners.





This is a magnificent find! It is a wolf! And just...WOW! Brains intact even! Amazing!





-Meli
Meli, Portland, USA
09/06/2019 18:54
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I can clearly see you are all wrong that's my ex mother in law I can tell from the size of the teeth
Mike moran, United states
09/06/2019 18:39
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It is very obviously a wolf if you were to study the teeth/skull. Do people really think you can tell what a 40,000 year old head is or isn’t based off of ear shape?? Ears are mainly cartilage which breaks down much more quickly and easily than bone...it’s amazing that there’s even that much ear left on the thing!! Maybe do some research, or even ask people on here why the ears are rounded or why the dates on their comments are different instead of jumping to conspiracy theories or claiming that the scientists who discovered this(and likely have much more experience/knowledge than most of us) are wrong.
Gwen G, United states
09/06/2019 17:52
6
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For a european it is a little funny to see a lot of you freak about the date. That is the way we write the date over here so it is a legit article :)
Laura, Denmark
09/06/2019 16:31
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looks like the comments of our American experts are for the birds indeed. they do not know most probably where Yakutia is. and for sure do not know how the dates and times are written here. or that -5- is the best abd a -1- is the worst in the school system here. never mind, most important, writing and posting, knowing something or not, posting is the most important matter. MAYBE not to confuse these experts even more, one should write the MONTH completely and not only in Numbers? meaning January AND NOT - 01-.? on the other hand, THIS IS RUSSIA and we have our ways doing things. And that is good so!
Benedikt MORAK, Moscow
09/06/2019 16:00
24
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Getting in a state about the date being wrong...Americans are just so unbelievably thick...hahaha
Mini Cooper , Paris, France
09/06/2019 13:39
16
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For everyone freaking out about the dates.... the rest of the world uses day/month/year to record dates.
Meg, Maryland
09/06/2019 11:34
34
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That is not a bear .. those ears are pointed and I own both wild and bear skulls and that is definitely wolf.
Akblkbear, Alaska
09/06/2019 11:25
9
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This is not a bear, this is clearly a wolf. The CAT scan showing the teeth clearly indicates that this is a canine. Bears do not have carnassials. Also these dates are European in style where the day comes first then the month in the year. As I type this it is June 8, 2019 on the west coast of the USA but it’ll read 09/06/2019 because this article is probably posted on the eastern hemisphere. So far from my graduate work in paleontology, this article appears legit.
Amy K.., Granite Falls/ USA
09/06/2019 11:20
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