Thursday, June 18, 2009
Research which finally proves that bones found in Shropshire,
England provide the most geologically recent evidence of woolly
mammoths in North Western Europe publishes today in the Geological
Journal. Analysis of both the bones and the surrounding environment
suggests that some mammoths remained part of British wildlife long
after they are conventionally believed to have become
extinct.
The mammoth bones, consisting of one largely complete adult male
and at least four juveniles, were first excavated in 1986, but the
carbon dating which took place at the time has since been
considered inaccurate. Technological advances during the past two
decades now allow a more exact reading, which complements the
geological data needed to place the bones into their environmental
context. This included a study of the bones' decay, analysis of
fossilised insects which were also found on the site, and a
geological analysis of the surrounding sediment.
The research was carried out by Professor Adrian Lister, based at
the Natural History Museum in London, who has conducted numerous
studies into 'extinction lag' where small pockets of a species have
survived for thousands of years longer than conventionally
thought.
"Mammoths are conventionally believed to have become extinct in
North Western Europe about 21,000 years ago during the main ice
advance, known as the 'Last Glacial Maximum'" said Lister. "Our new
radiocarbon dating of the Condover mammoths changes that, by
showing that mammoths returned to Britain and survived until around
14,000 years ago."
As the Shropshire bones are the latest record of mammoths in North
Western Europe they not only prove that the species survived for
much longer than traditionally believed it also provides strong
evidence to settle the debate as to whether mammoth extinction was
caused by climate change or human hunting.
"The new dates of the mammoths' last appearance correlate very
closely in time to climate changes when the open grassy habitat of
the Ice Age was taken over by advancing forests, which provides a
likely explanation for their disappearance," said Lister. "There
were humans around during the time of the Condover mammoths, but no
evidence of significant mammoth hunting."
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Wiley-Blackwell
Thanks to Wiley-Blackwell for this article.