Tamat puppies are believed to be littermates and early domesticated canines, as indicated by their physical connections to slain mammoth bones and two permafrost-preserved late Pleistocene canids. However, recent comprehensive analyses suggest that these puppies were likely wolves inhabiting a dry, relatively warm environment with variable vegetation, consuming a varied diet that included woolly rhinoceroses.

The Tumat puppy remains consist of two exceptionally well-preserved specimens found in northern Siberia, approximately 40 km from the nearest village named Tumat.

One specimen was unearthed in 2011, while the other was located in 2015 at the Syalakh site.

This puppy was discovered within a layer of ice-preserved soil, alongside woolly mammoth remains.

This discovery prompted scientists to speculate whether the site was once a location for mammoth slaughter carried out by humans, and whether puppies had any relationships with humans similar to those of early dogs and domesticated wolves that scavenged for food.

With neither puppy displaying visible signs of injury or attack, it is conceivable that they were resting after meals inside a burrow until a landslide trapped them.

The new research utilizes animal intestinal content and genetic data as well as various chemical “fingerprints” found in the bones, teeth, and tissues to decipher their life, diet, and the surrounding environment.

Both puppies had consumed solid foods, including woolly rhinoceros meat and small birds known as wagtails.

However, their remains also indicated signs of nursing, suggesting they were still receiving milk from their mother.

Notably, despite being found near human-associated mammoth bones, there was no evidence that the puppies had eaten mammoths. Fragments of woolly rhinoceros skin in their stomachs were partially undigested, indicating they died shortly after their last meal.

It is believed that the woolly rhinoceros was a young calf rather than an adult, likely hunted by an adult pack to nourish the puppies. Nonetheless, even a young woolly rhinoceros would have been significantly larger than the typical prey of modern wolves.

This leads researchers to propose that these Pleistocene wolves were possibly larger than present-day wolves.

Prior DNA testing indicates that the puppies are likely from a wolf lineage that ultimately became extinct and did not contribute to the ancestry of modern pet dogs.

“It is remarkable that the two sisters from this era were so well-preserved, and even more impressive, we can narrate many facets of their existence up to their final meal,” stated Anne Catlin Range, a researcher from York University.

“The initial assumption that Tumat’s puppies were dogs was also grounded on the fact that their black fur was presumed to be a mutation exclusive to dogs. Yet, the Tumat puppies challenge this theory as they lack any relation to contemporary dogs.”

“While many may be disappointed that these creatures are overwhelmingly wolves and not early domesticated dogs, they enhance our understanding of the past environment, their way of life, and how strikingly similar they are to modern wolves.”

“Additionally, it implies that the clue of black fur—once thought significant—was misleading since it appears in wolf cubs from a population unrelated to household dogs, leaving the evolution of pet dogs a curious mystery.”

Fossilized plant remnants found in the puppies’ stomachs indicate they thrived in a diverse environment with various plants and animals, including grasslands and leaves from shrub genera like dryas and willow twigs.

This suggests that their habitat comprised a range of environments capable of supporting a rich and diverse ecosystem.

“Grey wolves have existed for hundreds of thousands of years based on skeletal remains discovered at paleontological sites, and researchers have performed DNA tests to assess population changes over time.”

“The soft tissue preserved in Tumat puppies provides new access to examine wolves and their evolutionary pathways.”

“Their diet encompassed both animal flesh and plant matter, which bears resemblance to contemporary wolves, offering insights into their reproductive behaviors.”

“The duo are sisters, presumably raised in dens and nurtured by their packs—a behavior commonly observed in modern wolf pup rearing.”

“Though they are frequently larger today, it remains possible that Tumat’s puppies had a brother who survived their fate.”

“There may be additional cubs hidden in permafrost or lost to erosion.”

Hunting large prey like woolly rhinoceroses suggests that these wolves, even as pups, were larger than today’s wolves, yet they may have also targeted easier prey.

Survey results will be published in the journal Quaternary Studies.

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Anne Katlin Wiborg Lange et al. Multifaceted analysis revealed diet and relatives of late Pleistocene “Tamat puppies.” Quaternary Studies Published online on June 12th, 2025. doi: 10.1017/qua.2025.10