Home dogs originated from European wolves

Scientists compared DNA samples of modern dogs with ancient fossils and discovered domestic dogs originating from extinct wolf species in Europe.

In the November 15 article in the American journal Science, researchers believe that wolves have found food from bone fragments left by hunters. Since then, animals have become closer to humans when fed and this domestication process may have begun 19,000-32,000 years ago.

Photos: blog.northshots.com

The research team at the University of Turku, Finland, analyzed DNA of 18 prehistoric breeds (including 8 dogs and 10 wolves) and compared them with the DNA of all 49 wolf species and 77 ancient dog species. Ancient fossil samples taken from Russia, Ukraine, Central Europe, the US and Argentina are estimated to be 30,000 years old. And DNA from modern dogs and wolves is collected around the globe from Israel to China and Sweden to Mexico.

The researchers found that dogs' DNA today is closely related to ancient European dogs and modern European wolves.

Professor Robert Wayne of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, member of the research team, said: 'It can't be helped, modern dogs are of European origin.'

This conclusion is contrary to the results of the research of experts from the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, published in 2002 that modern dogs originated from China.

Controversy has occurred between the two research groups and scientists hoping that in the coming years, they will find fossils of other breeds to complete their genetic data in order to draw the best conclusion.

Meanwhile, the problem of who has domesticated wild dogs into loyal friends and where the process takes place is still a mystery that cannot be found.