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Dogs likely originated in Europe more than 18,000 years ago, UCLA biologists report

By Guest PostNovember 16, 2013Nature, Scienceancient dog fossil, ancient hunter, carnivore, co evolutionary process, coyotes, daniel greenfield, dog, dog like animals, dogs from europe, domestic dogs, druid peak, east asia, Europe, european hunter, european wolves, evolutionary biology, finland, fossil, genetic analysis, genetic data, illinois, klaus koepfli, koster archaeological site, late pleistocene, middle east, middle east origin, migration, mitochondrial dna, modern dogs, North America, olaf thalmann, old world, origin, proximity to humans, robert wayne, species, two wolves, ucla biologist, university of turku, western russia, wolf like animals, yellowstone national park

Wolves likely were domesticated by European hunter–gatherers more than 18,000 years ago and gradually evolved into dogs that became household pets, UCLA life scientists report.

“We found that instead of recent wolves being closest to domestic dogs, ancient European wolves were directly related to them,” said Robert Wayne, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in UCLA’s College of Letters and Science and senior author of the research. “This brings the genetic record into agreement with the archaeological record. Europe is where the oldest dogs are found.” (more…)

Coyotes “Shrank,” Wolves Did Not, After Last Ice Age and Megafaunal Extinctions

By Guest PostFebruary 28, 2012Nature, Sciencebergmann rule, coyote morphology, coyotes, ecogeographic principle, gray wolf, pleistocene coyotes, skeletons of wolves, solitary predators

*Once large and wolf-like, coyotes ultimately became much smaller*

When the last ice age ended more than 10,000 years ago, many large species of mammals went extinct and others underwent changes in appearance. (more…)

Scary Chupacabras Monster is as Much Victim as Villain

By Guest PostOctober 22, 2010Culture, Sciencebarry oconnor, blood, chupacabras, chupacabras syndrome, coyotes, creepy crawlies, dogs, evil looking animals, evolutionary history, foxes, goatsucker, halloween, hans klompen, itchy rash, legendary beast, livestock, mange, monsters, puerto rico, sarcoptes scabiei, scabies, tales, wolves

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— As Halloween approaches, tales of monsters and creepy crawlies abound. Among the most fearsome is the legendary beast known as the chupacabras.

But the real fiend is not the hairless, fanged animal purported to attack and drink the blood of livestock; it’s a tiny, eight-legged creature that turns a healthy, wild animal into a chupacabras, says University of Michigan biologist Barry OConnor. (more…)

Fragmented forests result in more snakes, fewer birds

By Guest PostMay 25, 20102 commentsScienceagriculture, badgers, cache river state, circumstantial, coyotes, eastern north America, florida keys, forest edge, foxes, fragmented forest, gerardo carfagno, hawks, natural area, ornithologists, parental activity, patrick weatherhead, predator, prey, raccoons, rat snakes, southern Illinois, southern Ontario, texas, unfragmented forest, university of Illinois, video cameras, wooded or semi-wooded habitat

About half of all bird nests don’t survive due to predators, particularly in fragmented forest areas, but why?

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Tag Archives: coyotes

Dogs likely originated in Europe more than 18,000 years ago, UCLA biologists report

Coyotes “Shrank,” Wolves Did Not, After Last Ice Age and Megafaunal Extinctions

Scary Chupacabras Monster is as Much Victim as Villain

Fragmented forests result in more snakes, fewer birds