In 2017, a hemimandible (half of a mandible), corresponding to the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), was found in a stratigraphically-controlled and radio-isotopically-dated sequence of the Melka Wakena paleoanthropological site-complex, on the Southeastern Ethiopian Highlands, some 2,300 meters above sea level. AdvertisementThe specimen is the first and unique Pleistocene fossil of this species. The researchers used standard paleontological measurements in combination with sophisticated statistical methods to identify the unique fossil. “Projections ranging from most pessimistic to most optimistic future climatic scenarios indicate a significant reduction of the already-deteriorating territories suitable for the Ethiopian Wolf, increasing the threat to the specie’s future survival. Additionally, the recovery of the Melka Wakena fossil underscores the importance of work outside the East African Rift System in research of early human origins and associated biodiversity on the African continent.”

Source: Ethiopian News May 22, 2023 07:13 UTC