1500 Years Ago, Foxes Were Pets... Evidence Found in Tombs Shows

"Foxes May Have Had a Symbiotic Relationship with Humans"

It has been suggested that foxes may have been human companions over 1,500 years ago.

On the 10th (local time), a research team from the University of Oxford in the UK and the Argentine Institute of Evolution published a research paper titled "Partnerships in Patagonia: Interactions between the Extinct Dusicyon avus and Prehistoric Human Communities" in the Royal Society Open Science journal.

Fox. [Image source=Pixabay]

In the paper, the research team identified animal remains found in the grave of hunter-gatherers in the Ca?ad?n Seco region of Patagonia, Argentina, estimated to be buried about 1,500 years ago, as Dusicyon avus. Dusicyon avus, similar in size to a German Shepherd (dog), is a species of fox-like canid that went extinct about 500 years ago.

Through DNA analysis and other methods, the research team found that this animal maintained a diet pattern similar to that of humans. This suggests a close relationship between the two mammals in life and death.

The research team stated, "There is no evidence that humans consumed Dusicyon avus," and added, "Considering the preservation state of the bones, it appears that this animal was deliberately buried rather than left outdoors." The team further noted that this could be evidence that Dusicyon avus was a valuable individual living like a human companion. The research team explained, "This joint burial record indicates that some specimens of the extinct fox had a symbiotic relationship with humans."

The British BBC reported that finding nearly complete fox remains in a human grave is an exceptional case even in archaeology. The research team explained, "Dusicyon avus was previously known to mainly inhabit northeastern Patagonia and southern Brazil, but this study proves that its habitat range extended to northwestern Patagonia as well," adding, "The specimens from this study provide valuable insights into the distribution, characteristics, and ecological interactions of the extinct fox."

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