The Evolution of Foxes as Companions: Insights from Groundbreaking Research

Foxes have a long and captivating history intertwined with humans. Recent studies have shed light on the fact that foxes were once considered as humans' best friends, playing a crucial role in our shared past.

These findings reveal a fascinating connection between humans and foxes that dates back centuries. The study highlights the unique bond that existed between our ancestors and these intelligent creatures, showcasing a history rich in companionship and mutual benefit.

In a burial site located in present-day northwestern Argentina, an individual was interred alongside a non-canine animal companion, as indicated by recent studies. The grave contained the remains of a canid species that potentially vied with dogs for human companionship: a fox.

Throughout the ages, humans and dogs have shared a deep and enduring bond. This connection, which spans tens of thousands of years, has been a significant aspect of both species' history. Recently, a new examination of findings from a Patagonian burial site dating back approximately 1,500 years has shed light on a comparable intimate relationship between a hunter-gatherer in southern South America and the now-extinct fox species known as Dusicyon avus.

In 1991, at the Cañada Seca site in northern Patagonia, archaeologists made an intriguing discovery. They found a nearly complete D. avus skeleton buried alongside a human. Dr. Ophélie Lebrasseur, a researcher at the University of Oxford's School of Archaeology, who is affiliated with the Wellcome Trust Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, noted that there were no cut marks on the bones. This suggests that the fox had not been consumed.

Scientists reported in the journal Royal Society Open Science that through an extensive analysis of ancient DNA and radiocarbon dating, they were able to confirm the species and age of a fox. Additionally, the examination of collagen in the fox's remains revealed that it consumed the same food as a specific group of humans. The placement of the fox's skeleton in a grave, along with its diet, suggested that it was tame and potentially kept as a pet. This finding contributes to the increasing evidence from burial sites across different continents, indicating a connection between humans and tamed foxes based on companionship.

The fox and hunter-gatherer society

D. avus thrived during the Pleistocene Epoch, which spanned from approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago,and persisted into the Holocene before going extinct roughly 500 years in the past. This species was similar in size to a contemporary German shepherd, albeit less robust, with a weight reaching up to 33 pounds (15 kilograms).

According to Lebrasseur, who co-led the study with Dr. Cinthia Abbona, Dusicyon avus generally has a carnivorous diet. However, when the scientists examined the fox skeleton from the burial, they discovered that its diet was not as carnivorous as expected and was more similar to that of humans. This finding suggests that either the community was providing food for the fox or the fox was scavenging on kitchen waste. Lebrasseur believes that this indicates a closer relationship and integration of the fox within the society. Dr. Aurora Grandal-d’Anglade, a paleobiologist at the Universidade da Coruña, supports the idea of foxes being kept as pets in South America, citing evidence from fox burials in Europe and Asia. In the Iberian Peninsula, Bronze Age graves contained numerous dogs and four foxes buried alongside humans, arranged in a similar manner, suggesting that the foxes were also companions for humans.

Grandal-d’Anglade expressed to CNN via email that there is no justification for why foxes could not be tamed. He pointed out that various societies across the globe have a history of domesticating animals, not limited to canids, but also including monkeys, birds, and reptiles, for companionship. This perspective sheds light on the increasing number of archaeological sites where foxes appear to have been kept as pets.

Finding D. avus in a human grave was surprising for another reason — while the species was once widespread across southern South America, it was previously unknown in this part of Patagonia. Hunter-gatherers who lived in the region typically stayed within a range of about 44 miles (70 kilometers), so they likely encountered the friendly fox within that range, according to the study.

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

Understanding the Symbolism Behind Fox Burials and Their Connection to Canine Loyalty

The examination also illuminated the factors behind the extinction of the foxes, or rather, what did not contribute to it. One theory proposed that the foxes mated with dogs brought by European settlers to South America, and this interbreeding ultimately led to the decline of the foxes' lineage. However, the study authors revealed a different narrative based on the fox's DNA analysis.

According to Lebrasseur, "Considering the data we obtained and the methodology we developed at Oxford a few years ago, we can confidently state that the hybridization between domestic dogs and Dusicyon avus would not have resulted in viable offspring."

Nevertheless, dogs may not have been completely blameless in the decrease of the fox population. Due to their similar diet to D. avus, dogs might have contributed to the rapid decline of foxes by outcompeting them. Additionally, dogs could have been carriers of diseases that were transmitted to the foxes, resulting in their illness, as noted by Lebrasseur.

According to Grandal-d’Anglade, the common explanation for dog domestication involves humans recognizing dogs' potential as hunters or herders. However, the discovery of a D. avus skeleton at Cañada Seca and other fox burials suggests that animals did not necessarily have to serve a practical purpose to be cared for by humans - they could simply be valued as companions.

As we delve deeper into this intriguing discovery, it becomes evident that the relationship between humans and foxes is far more complex and profound than previously thought. This revelation challenges our perceptions and opens up new avenues for understanding the deep-rooted connections between species throughout history.