9,000-Year-Old Dog Poop Reveals For Siberian Sled Dogs, Polar Bears Were On The Menu

Prehistoric sled dogs in the Siberian Arctic ate a mix of fish, reindeer and polar bear, according to a new analysis of 9,000-year-old turds. Recovered from the early Holocene site of Zhokhov in the extreme north of Russia, the paleofeces contained high rates of various parasitic worms, which may have severely compromised the dogs’ ability to work. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Located in the New Siberian Islands, Zhokhov was once part of the Eurasian mainland before becoming cut off due to a change in sea levels around 8,500 years ago. At this point, human occupation in the region ceased, although archaeological finds suggest that the site was previously inhabited by Paleolithic hunters.

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