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mudhen Offline OP
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DNA analysis is revising conventional taxonomy:

The Himalayan wolf was first catalogued by scientists nearly 200 years ago, and many have suspected the species to be among the oldest of wolves. However, it was only recently that scientists discovered that the Himalayan wolf, or “woolly” wolf, may not actually be an old subspecies of the gray wolf at all. Instead, it may be something else entirely.

According to a study recently published in the journal ZooKeys, a team of international scientists concluded that the woolly wolf diverged from gray wolves a long time ago. Using scat samples from six specimens that have ventured into Nepal, researchers found that the animal’s DNA set it far apart from modern wolves—and even domestic dogs. This is particularly surprising since the Himalayan wolf was considered one of the most likely candidates for the ancestor of the human-tamed canines. It is now suspected that dogs actually came from an extinct species of wolves during the Pleistocene era.

Woolly wolves may be ancient, but on the surface, they look very similar to gray wolves. On average woolly wolves are smaller, lighter, have thicker hair and longer muzzles, but are otherwise visually comparable to modern wolves. However, after researchers sequenced the whole of the wolf’s genome, it was discovered that the woolly wolf is actually the most divergent of all wolf species. What that means is that quite frankly, the woolly wolf is a snapshot of wolf evolution that no longer exists.

Unfortunately, due to the decline of the already small woolly wolf population, they may not exist much longer either. Researchers are now encouraging additional conservation efforts for the places in Tibet, India, and Nepal where the wolf resides.

“These genetically distinct Himalayan wolves deserve special conservation attention, at the same time that the conservation of this species in a context of human-wildlife conflict is challenging,” the researchers concluded. “A species action plan needs be formulated that develops mechanisms to minimize conflict, and strategies for motivating local communities towards wolf conservation.”


Ben

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Hmmm? Ben would these wolves have been Kipling's "Akela"????

Just curious?


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Originally Posted by mudhen
It is now suspected that dogs actually came from an extinct species of wolves during the Pleistocene era.

I have trouble imagining this sometimes.

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mudhen Offline OP
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Originally Posted by kaywoodie
Hmmm? Ben would these wolves have been Kipling's "Akela"????

Just curious?
Hmmm. That would take some research, and I don't have any idea where to start.


Ben

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Just a whim. Prolly just some other one of wolf. smile


Founder
Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester

"Come, shall we go and kill us venison?
And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools,
Being native burghers of this desert city,
Should in their own confines with forked heads
Have their round haunches gored."

WS

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