Ancient Bond: Hunter-Gatherers and Extinct Foxes Unveiled

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New research reveals an interesting discovery in an ancient grave in northwestern Argentina. A person was buried with a unique animal companion, which was not a dog as previously assumed. The burial contained the skeleton of a fox, a type of canid that may have rivalled dogs for human affection in the past.

Humans and dogs have a long history together, dating back tens of thousands of years. Recently, a new study on a Patagonian burial site from around 1,500 years ago suggests a strong bond between a hunter-gatherer in southern South America and the extinct fox species Dusicyon avus.

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In 1991, at Cañada Seca in northern Patagonia, archaeologists unearthed a nearly complete skeleton of a D. avus fox buried alongside a human. Dr. Ophélie Lebrasseur, a researcher at the University of Oxford’s School of Archaeology, noted that there were no cut marks on the bones, indicating that the fox had not been eaten.

Further analysis of ancient DNA and radiocarbon dating confirmed the fox's species and age. Scientists also discovered that the fox had a similar diet to the humans buried with it. This, along with the placement of the skeleton in the grave, led researchers to believe that the fox was tame and may have been kept as a pet. The findings were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

The finding contributes to the increasing amount of proof from burial grounds in various parts of the world showing that people domesticated individual foxes and had a bond built on friendship.

Foxes and the hunter-gatherer community

D. avus, a species that lived from the Pleistocene Epoch to the Holocene, went extinct around 500 years ago. It was similar in size to a modern German shepherd but lighter, weighing up to 33 pounds (15 kilograms).

Parts of the D. avus specimen were buried alongside a human at Cañada Seca, a site in northern Patagonia.

Parts of the D. avus specimen were buried alongside a human at Cañada Seca, a site in northern Patagonia.

Courtesy Francisco Prevosti

According to Lebrasseur, who co-led the study with Dr. Cinthia Abbona from Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Dusicyon avus generally has a carnivorous diet. However, when the scientists examined the fox skeleton from the burial site, they discovered that its diet was not as carnivorous as expected. In fact, it was more similar to the diets of humans.

Lebrasseur explained to CNN that this finding suggests that the fox may have been fed by the community or scavenged for food around the community, possibly feeding on kitchen scraps. This indicates a closer relationship and integration of the canid within the society.

The idea of foxes being kept as pets in South America is supported by findings of fox burials in Europe and Asia. Dr. Aurora Grandal-d’Anglade, a paleobiologist at the Universidade da Coruña in Spain, mentioned that Bronze Age graves in the Iberian Peninsula contained not only dozens of dogs but also four foxes buried alongside humans. These foxes were arranged similarly to the dogs, indicating that they may have also been companions to people.

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Grandal-d’Anglade mentioned to CNN that there is potential for foxes to be domesticated. Throughout different societies, humans have domesticated various animals as pets, including not only canids but also monkeys, birds, and reptiles. This suggests that foxes could have been kept as companion animals in the past.

The discovery of D. avus in a human grave was surprising because this species was previously unknown in this part of Patagonia, despite once being widespread across southern South America. The hunter-gatherers in the region typically stayed within a range of about 44 miles (70 kilometers), indicating that they may have encountered the friendly fox within this range.

“The Dusicyon avus must have been part of the nearby vicinity, to be able to be integrated within the community,” Lebrasseur said.

What fox burials reveal about ‘man’s best friend’

The analysis revealed why the foxes went extinct. One theory suggested that they interbred with dogs brought by European settlers, leading to the end of the fox lineage. However, the study authors found a different story in the fox's DNA.

According to Lebrasseur, the hybridization between domestic dogs and Dusicyon avus was unlikely to produce fertile offspring based on the recovered data and techniques developed at Oxford.

D. avus roamed the Earth during the Pleistocene Epoch, which was around 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. Sadly, this species went extinct approximately 500 years ago. Below is a full skull discovered at a different location from the one in northern Patagonia.

It's worth considering that dogs may have played a role in the decline of foxes. Sharing a similar diet to D. avus, dogs could have potentially outcompeted foxes and contributed to their extinction. Additionally, dogs may have carried and spread diseases that could have harmed the fox population.

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Experts often suggest that the domestication of dogs occurred because humans saw them as useful for hunting or herding, according to Grandal-d’Anglade. However, the discovery of a D. avus skeleton at Cañada Seca and other fox burials suggests that animals didn't have to serve a practical purpose to be cared for by humans - they could simply be companions.

Grandal-d’Anglade pointed out that the presence of various species of canids living closely with humans indicates that the initial relationship was based on affection and companionship. This widespread phenomenon across different societies and continents suggests that humans have a long-standing tradition of keeping animals for companionship, rather than solely for work or food.

Mindy Weisberger is a science writer and media producer whose work has appeared in Live Science, Scientific American and How It Works magazine.

Editor's P/S:

The discovery of a fox buried alongside a human in Patagonia sheds new light on the relationship between humans and animals in ancient times. The fox, previously assumed to be a dog, was likely a domesticated companion, providing evidence of a bond that extended beyond the realm of practicality. This finding, coupled with similar discoveries in Europe and Asia, suggests that foxes were valued as pets and companions by various cultures around the world.

The study also challenges the long-held belief that dogs were the sole beneficiaries of human companionship. The presence of foxes in human burials indicates that humans have a longstanding tradition of keeping animals for affection and companionship, rather than solely for work or food. This discovery deepens our understanding of the complex and multifaceted relationship between humans and animals, and highlights the importance of companionship in different societies and cultures.