New hypothesis about mammoth extinction

The latest study shows that the long-haired mammoth population is eventually extinct not because of blood ties or genetic diversity.

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A research report published in the latest issue of Molecular Ecology shows that human activity or environmental factors may be responsible for the destruction of this ancient animal.

Swedish and British scientists have used crime scene processing techniques to analyze DNA samples taken from Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean. They then compared the bones, teeth and ivory taken from the island with samples found in Chukotka, northeastern Siberia in Russia. Mammoths disappeared from mainland Asia, Europe and North America about 10,000 years ago, but there are about 500 to 1,000 animals surviving another 6,000 years on Wrangel, an island of only 7,000 square kilometers from the Russian mainland 140km.

According to Dr. Love Dalen (genetic classification division of the Swedish National Museum of History), because Wrangel Island is so small, people initially thought that a population of mammoths had a bloody relationship and caused love. Lack of genetic diversity makes them extinct.

When all the mammoths in Asia and Europe fell from tens of thousands to a few in the Ice Age, there was a 30% decline in genetic diversity. However, according to scientists, it is a normal decline. Mr. Dalen said: 'When we tested the specimen from Wrangel Island, we found that a time when this condition became stable and the genetic diversity was not lost. This period lasts until the mammoths become extinct. ' This, he says, negates the hypothesis of the homosexuality. The elephants on the island have been isolated for nearly 6,000 years but still maintain a stable population.

Evolved geneticist and University of London Professor Mark Thomas commented, the team has: 'created a critical moment in mammoth research'. 'They examined the DNA of many specimens and showed that by having a population of stable sizes, mammoths on Wrangel Island are not perished. Something happened to all of them , 'he said.

Dr. Dalen said more research is needed to determine the extinction cause of long-haired mammoths, but he believes the environmental change has killed the animal.'If humans hunt until they become extinct, I believe we can find evidence of that,' he stressed.

Mr. Dalen said the study could be useful in current conservation programs.'What's really interesting is that maintaining 500 effective individuals (like mammoth populations on Wrangel Island) is a very common goal in conservation programs. Our research results support the idea that such a population is sufficient to maintain genetic diversity for thousands of years. These mammoths lived well with the initial starting point being just a small group, ' said the Swedish researcher.