Eurasian gray wolf. Photograph by Gunnar Ries
Early humans first tamed wolves in prehistoric Europe between 19,000 and 32,000 years ago according to new research.
Scientists analysed fragments of mitochondrial DNA from fossils of ancient wolves and dogs, and found that the DNA of modern dogs most closely matches wolves found in Europe. This conflicts with previous theories that dogs were first tamed in the Middle East or East Asia.
It is generally agreed that it was gray wolves that were first tamed by prehistoric humans after they were found hanging around encampments eating scraps of food. Eventually, people appreciated their use as guards or hunting partners and taught them to become the companions we know today.
The research was carried out by a team led by Olaf Thalmann, from Finland’s University of Turku and published in the journal Science and is important as it shows that dogs were domesticated before the advent of farming, when people were still mostly hunter-gatherers.