Ancient DNA Reveals Ice Age Hunters Preferred Female Woolly Mammoths

An international team of researchers has uncovered compelling evidence that ancient humans selectively hunted female woolly mammoths during the Ice Age. By analyzing DNA from 521 mammoth bones, including 448 samples sequenced for the first time, scientists have compiled the largest genetic dataset ever assembled on these prehistoric giants.

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, challenges long-standing theories about why massive bone piles of mammoth remains were found at various archaeological sites. Researchers compared sex ratios from natural settings with those associated with human activity and concluded that humans played a significant role in creating these accumulations.

David Díez del Molino, a researcher at the Centre for Palaeogenetics and co-senior author of the study, stated that the genetic analysis provides clear evidence that ancient hunters targeted female mammoths more frequently than males. This finding contrasts with natural settings where male remains are predominant due to their higher likelihood of being trapped in sinkholes or other natural disasters.

The research team found that 70 percent of the bones associated with human activity were from females, while only 34 percent came from females in natural settings. Adult males made up around 66 percent of naturally preserved mammoth remains. This discrepancy suggests strategic hunting practices by Ice Age humans rather than random occurrences or natural causes.

Hannah Moots, a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Palaeogenetics and lead author of the study, noted that while it might seem counterintuitive to target larger males over females, the behavior of mammoths likely mirrored that of modern elephants. Female-led herds may have had more complex social defenses or moved in more predictable patterns, making them easier targets for hunters despite their size.

The study also sheds light on Ice Age hunting practices and the reliance on mammoth resources for survival. Hunters used nearly every part of the animal, from food to tools and even art materials, highlighting the crucial role mammoths played in human life during that era.

In addition to these findings, the research team identified the first known case of X0/XX mosaicism—a genetic condition similar to Turner syndrome—in an extinct species. This discovery provides a rare glimpse into the biological diversity of woolly mammoths and adds another layer of complexity to our understanding of their evolutionary history.

This groundbreaking study not only enhances our knowledge of Ice Age hunting practices but also offers new insights into the social behaviors and environmental impacts that shaped human-mammoth interactions thousands of years ago.