In the Bluefish Caves and a mine site in northern Yukon, bones initially believed to be from an ice-age puma or cougar were reexamined through DNA analysis from the University of California. The analysis, conducted by Molly Cassatt-Johnstone, revealed that the bones were not from pumas but from cheetahs. This discovery marked the identification of a Yukon Miracinonyx, also known as the extinct American cheetah, by Cassatt-Johnstone, who recently authored a paper in Current Biology shedding light on the ice-age cat’s diet and habitat.
The American cheetah, typically associated with chasing pronghorns across grassy plains, surprised researchers by being found in the Arctic tundra of Beringia. Collaborating researchers from Canada and the U.S. utilized stable isotope analysis to investigate the ancient cheetahs’ diet and lifestyle. The analysis revealed that the Yukon cheetahs predominantly fed on fish, a behavior uncommon among past and present-day cats.
Paleontologists were astonished by this revelation, as it indicated that the Yukon cheetahs had a unique adaptation compared to their counterparts in midcontinental North America. The study further highlighted that the genetic closeness of Miracinonyx to North American pumas, rather than African cheetahs, and the low genetic diversity within the cheetah population could have contributed to their eventual extinction.
In light of these findings, Yukon paleontologist Grant Zazula proposed renaming the unique northern population from ‘American Cheetah’ to ‘Yukon Cheetah.’ Zazula emphasized the significance of ongoing discoveries in paleontology, showcasing how each new bone found can unveil a fresh narrative about the ancient inhabitants of the region.
