How do dogs turn into wolves?

New research by American scientists shows that climate change and habitat have turned prehistoric dogs in America into wolves.

Climate change and habitat have turned domestic dogs into wolves

A group of American scientists studied fossils of ancient dogs in the Americas. They found that in just a few million years, climate change entailed a changing living environment that indigenous dogs, which are predators of prey, became wolves that attacked and tracked them today.

Ancient dogs were small and specialized in prey, while modern wolves knew how to attack and hunt for prey.(Photo: Mauricio Anton / Brown University.)

"This finding reinforces the hypothesis that predators can be very sensitive to climate change and habitat, similar to herbivores," said Christine Janis, author of the study. posted on Brown University, USA website.

The warmer and wetter weather 40 million years ago contributed to the creation of large dense forests in the area now the central plains of America. This environment has enabled small predators like easy-to-hide dogs and prey to run past.

However, when the area became more and more cold and dry, the forests gradually cleared and turned into plains in many places, leading to the evolution and proliferation of long-legged herbivores like the bison or the bison. deer. Predatory animals, including dogs, are also forced to evolve .

Advance limbs of wild dogs are accustomed to running long distances and are less flexible. At the same time, their teeth are stronger to bite the pieces of dry or crushed skin and meat.