National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: Bone-Crushing Wolves Roamed Alaska During Ice Age


Email to a Friend	<< Back to Full Story

An Ice Age-era gray wolf skull from California's La Brea tar pits (top) is compared to the head of a newly discovered bone-crushing wolf that roamed Alaska around the same time period (middle).

The bone-crusher's skull (outlined in red at bottom), has a broader palate than the Californian wolf (blue outline), allowing the Alaskan creatures to eat prey quickly and completely, scientists say.

Image courtesy by Blaire Van Valkenburgh