The last known population of woolly mammoths, which lived on Wrangel Island off the coast of Siberia, did not go extinct due to inbreeding, as previously speculated. This conclusion was reached by scientists who analyzed the ancient DNA of 14 individuals that lived on the island between 4,333 and 9,219 years ago and compared it to the genomes of seven mammoths that lived on mainland Siberia until 12,158 years ago.
Despite low genetic diversity and individual creatures suffering from genetic diseases, inbreeding was not the cause of their extinction. The researchers found that while the island-dwelling mammoths acquired some minor genetic mutations, any anomalies that would have caused major problems were gradually eliminated from the population. These mutations, therefore, could not have caused the species to go extinct.
The exact cause of the Wrangel Island mammoths’ extinction remains unknown. Humans likely weren’t responsible, as they didn’t arrive on the island until 400 years later. The team suggests the creatures died in an unlucky incident—perhaps because of a novel virus or natural disasters, like an Arctic volcano eruption or a tundra fire. The team’s research offers insights into approximately 50,000 years of genetic history of the woolly mammoths.
Read more: www.smithsonianmag.com
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