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Ancient DNA of Mammoths, Cheetahs Found in Yukon Squirrel Droppings

6/10/2026

Summary

Scientists Recover Ancient DNA

Scientists recovered ancient DNA of woolly mammoths, cheetahs and other extinct species from Arctic ground squirrel droppings in Canada’s Yukon.
The DNA, preserved in permafrost-filled squirrel burrows, dates back 700,000 years.
Researchers published the findings in Nature Communications, noting the deposits act as frozen time capsules of ancient ecosystems.
Scientists say additional squirrel burrows could reveal further information about past wildlife and climate change.

Summary

Murchie Decodes Squirrel

Murchie created custom DNA-bait probes after organic compounds blocked standard extraction.
He secured supercomputer time at four universities and ran analyses for months.
The 700,000-year-old squirrel DNA forms a distinct branch closest to Chinese ground squirrels, indicating past turnover.
Duane Froese reports the Permafrost Archives hold about 200 frozen squirrel coprolite samples.
The team will release the sequences publicly, though researchers consider the addition to Colossal small.

Summary

Murchie Maps Ecology

The study was conducted on the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation and proceeded with the community’s permission.
Researchers described Arctic ground squirrels as “tiny Arctic pack rats,” emphasizing their role in gathering and preserving ecosystem material.
The squirrels’ diet was noted to include dead flesh, whale meat and other rodents, illustrating their opportunistic feeding behavior.
By analyzing coprolites that span from 30,000 to about 700,000 years ago, scientists can track ecological changes across multiple glacial cycles.
Lead author Tyler Murchie said the project began “out of curiosity and for fun,” highlighting an unconventional research motivation.
The work demonstrates that frozen rodent feces can complement traditional bone and tooth records in reconstructing past environments.

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Scientists Recover Ancient DNA

Scientists recovered ancient DNA of woolly mammoths, cheetahs and other extinct species from Arctic ground squirrel droppings in Canada’s Yukon.
The DNA, preserved in permafrost-filled squirrel burrows, dates back 700,000 years.
Researchers published the findings in Nature Communications, noting the deposits act as frozen time capsules of ancient ecosystems.
Scientists say additional squirrel burrows could reveal further information about past wildlife and climate change.

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