Dogor

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Dogor is a preserved canine specimen that was found in the Siberian permafrost of Sakha in 2018. It is a remarkably well preserved two-month-old male puppy with fur and whiskers remaining. The animal has been determined to be 18,000 years old. DNA sequencing has been unable to identify the animal as either a dog or a wolf.

The specimen was named Dogor by scientists, with the word meaning "friend" (Cyrillic: Догор) in the local Yakut language.[1]

Description[]

Dogor was found in the permafrost near the Indigirka River, north-east of Yakutsk, Sakha Republic in eastern Siberia by archaeologist Mark John Charles Rogerson and his wife Nina, during summer 2018.[2][3] It is the body of a two-month-old male canine puppy.[1] The body is remarkably well preserved, and its fur, whiskers, nose and teeth remain intact.[1][4] A part of its rib bone was analysed by radiocarbon dating, which placed it at 18,000 years old.[4]

Identification[]

Due to the animal's age, it is possible that it represents an evolutionary link between dogs and wolves.[1] Scientists continue to debate the exact point at which dogs were first domesticated, but if Dogor is determined to be a dog, it would be the oldest ever discovered.[1][4] Dogor has, therefore, been described as coming from "a very interesting time in terms of wolf and dog evolution", possibly from around the time of the first domestication of dogs.[3]

DNA sequencing is usually sufficient to distinguish between dogs and wolves; however, even after a large amount of analysis, it has not been possible to determine to which species Dogor belongs.[3] It is possible that Dogor represents a common ancestor of both species.[1] Further DNA sequencing is to be undertaken in Denmark, and this may provide more insight.[1][5]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Scientists stumped by 18,000-year-old frozen 'dog'". BBC News. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Amazingly preserved puppy with whiskers, eyelashes, hair and velvety nose intact puzzle scientists". Siberian Times. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Woodyatt, Amy (27 November 2019). "18,000-year-old frozen puppy leaves scientists baffled". CNN Travel.
  4. ^ a b c Sparks, Hannah (27 November 2019). "18,000-year-old puppy stumps scientists: Is it a dog or a wolf?". New York Post. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  5. ^ "DNA of pre-historic puppy, found in Yakutia, to be analyzed in Denmark". Tass Russian News Agency. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
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