Summary: Scientists have decoded 50,000 years of aurochs history by analyzing 38 ancient genomes from across Eurasia. The research reveals how these massive wild cattle, which went extinct 400 years ago, were shaped by climate change and ultimately domesticated to become the ancestors of modern cattle. Their legacy lives on, with their descendants now comprising one-third of the world’s mammalian biomass.
Journal: Nature, 2024
Reading time: 4 minutes
From Cave Art to Modern Farms
Long before humans developed agriculture, they were fascinated by the aurochs. These powerful wild cattle appeared in some of humanity’s earliest cave paintings and later became one of our most important domesticated animals, providing muscle, meat, and milk to developing civilizations.
Now, an international research team led by Trinity College Dublin has uncovered the complex story of these remarkable animals by studying ancient DNA spanning 50 millennia, from Siberia to Britain.
Climate Change and Ancient Migrations
The story begins around 650,000 years ago, when the first aurochs appeared in Europe. However, the genetic evidence reveals a dramatic replacement event around 100,000 years ago, likely originating from southern Asia.
“We normally think of the European aurochs as one common form or type, but our analyses suggest there were three distinct aurochs populations alone in Europe – a Western European, an Italian, and a Balkan. There was thus a greater diversity in the wild forms than we had ever imagined,” explains Dr. Mikkel Sinding of the University of Copenhagen.
Ice Age Survivors
The last ice age left its mark on aurochs populations in two significant ways. First, it separated European and north Asian populations around 100,000 years ago. Second, it forced European herds into southern refuges, significantly reducing their genetic diversity.
“The aurochs went extinct approximately 400 years ago, which left much of their evolutionary history a mystery. However, through the sequencing of ancient DNA, we have gained detailed insight into the diversity that once thrived in the wild as well as enhanced our understanding of domestic cattle,” notes Dr. Conor Rossi from Trinity College Dublin.
The Birth of Cattle
The most dramatic change in aurochs history came with domestication, just over 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. “Although Caesar exaggerated when he said it was like an elephant, the wild ox must have been a highly dangerous beast and this hints that its first capture and taming must have happened with only a very few animals,” says Professor Dan Bradley, who led the study.
Glossary
- Aurochs: Ancient wild cattle species that were ancestors to modern domestic cattle
- Genome: Complete set of genetic information in an organism
- Mitochondrial DNA: Genetic material passed down from mother to offspring
- Fertile Crescent: Region in the Middle East where agriculture first developed
Quiz
- Q: When did aurochs first appear in Europe according to fossil evidence?
A: 650,000 years ago - Q: How many distinct aurochs populations were discovered in Europe?
A: Three (Western European, Italian, and Balkan) - Q: When did aurochs go extinct?
A: Approximately 400 years ago - Q: What proportion of today’s mammalian biomass consists of aurochs descendants?
A: One-third
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