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Ancient Wolf Cub Reveals Woolly Rhino's Extinction Secrets

1/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A permafrost-preserved Siberian wolf cub died about 14,400 years ago after eating woolly rhino meat.
Scientists decoded the woolly rhino's genome from the remains, a first for an ice age species found in another animal's stomach.
The genome shows no signs of erosion, indicating the rhino population was stable before a rapid extinction.
The extinction was likely caused by warming climate rather than hunting.

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Story summary

A permafrost-preserved Siberian wolf cub died about 14,400 years ago after eating woolly rhino meat.
Scientists decoded the woolly rhino's genome from the remains, a first for an ice age species found in another animal's stomach.
The genome shows no signs of erosion, indicating the rhino population was stable before a rapid extinction.
The extinction was likely caused by warming climate rather than hunting.