News Paleontology

Woolly mammoths’ last request: Got water?

Isolated island population went extinct 5,600 years ago when lakes dried up

WATER SHORTAGE  Woolly mammoths on an isolated Alaskan island probably died out when the lakes on the island dried up, researchers report.

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By Laurel Hamers

- More than 2 years ago

Thirst drove one of the last populations of woolly mammoths to extinction.

A small group of holdouts on an isolated Alaskan island managed to last about 8,000 years longer than most of their mainland-dwelling brethren.