Ancient DNA Reveals Ice Age Hunters Preferentially Killed Female Woolly Mammoths

A recent publication in Current Biology highlights that female woolly mammoths were the primary targets for Ice Age human hunters. Researchers examined ancient DNA from 521 woolly mammoths, which included 100 specimens from 11 sites where human-related bone accumulations were discovered, dating between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago, alongside 421 mammoths from natural sites throughout Europe and North America. The analysis revealed that males made up 66% of the mammoths in natural settings, while females represented 70% at human-associated sites. This research sheds light on ancient hunting practices, suggesting that human activities likely contributed to many mammoth bone accumulations. The study also identified the first instance of Turner syndrome in an extinct species, showing a mammoth with XX/X0 mosaicism. Experts like Audrey Rowe from the University of Alaska Fairbanks propose that these findings may imply human involvement in the extinction of mammoths, potentially without awareness of their impact on resources.