A perfectly preserved Ice Age wolf was unearthed in Russia (Credit: North-Eastern Federal University/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

A mummified adult wolf could offer scientists valuable insights into the late Pleistocene era (129,000 to 11,700 years ago). The animal was buried in thick permafrost for over 44,000 years. It was unearthed by the residents of Sakha, Russia, in 2021. The specimen boasted well-preserved teeth, fur, and internal organs, including the stomach. It was the first complete adult wolf found from the late Ice Age.

Nearly three years later, on June 25, 2024, Russian scientists announced they had completed the ancient animal's autopsy. Preliminary dental analysis revealed that the wolf was a fierce predator. It probably hunted in a flat, cold environment full of animals like mammoths, wooly rhinos, and ancient bison.

"It was a very active predator, one of the larger ones. Slightly smaller than cave lions and bears, but a very active, mobile predator, and it was also a scavenger," said Albert Protopopov, a researcher at Russia's Yakutia Academy of Sciences.

The adult wolf is the first of its kind from the late Ice Age (Credit: North-Eastern Federal University/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

The scientists will next examine samples from the internal organs, particularly the stomach, for clues about the wolf's lifestyle, diet, and possible cause of death.

"His stomach has been preserved in an isolated form, there are no contaminants, so the task is not trivial," said Protopopov. "We hope to obtain a snapshot of the biota of the ancient Pleistocene."

The researchers also plan to look for ancient microbes in the animal's stomach. Certain bacteria and viruses can live for thousands of years when preserved in ice. If found, these microbes could lead to groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

The wolf may provide clues about life during the Ice Age (Credit: North-Eastern Federal University/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

"It is possible that microorganisms will be discovered that can be used in medicine and biotechnology as promising producers of biologically active substances," said team member Artemy Goncharov.

This wolf autopsy is part of an ongoing extensive study of the remains of several other animals from the late Ice Age. They include ancient hares, an extinct horse, and a bear.

Resources: Businessinsider.com, Livescience.com, CNN.com, NPR.org