Cave Lion Research Articles

Animals and humans in the European Russian Arctic towards the end of the last Ice Age and during the mid‐Holocene time

Here, we present and discuss results from geo‐archaeological and palaeo‐zoological investigations at the Palaeolithic site Pymva Shor, in the Russian Arctic. As many as 3324 vertebrate fauna remains were recovered during two excavations. This includes bones of mammals, birds and fish. Radiocarbon dates were obtained from 26 specimens. The results show ages in the range 30–3 cal. ka BP. Hare and reindeer are the best represented amongst the identified mammalian species, whilst ptarmigan and various wader species dominate the avian bones. The Pleistocene assemblage includes herbivorous herd animals such as horse, bison and musk ox. These species are typical of the treeless tundra‐steppe landscape that existed during the Lateglacial. Of particular interest is a cave lion specimen that has been radiocarbon dated to approximately 15.5 cal. ka BP. According to our knowledge, this is one of the latest dated examples of this species in Eurasia. The faunal composition in the Holocene assemblage is strikingly different and includes distinct forest taxa such as beaver and pine marten. The avifauna also supports a forested environment with the presence of black grouse. A few stone artefacts were found within the strata, and have been radiocarbon dated to 16–15 cal. ka BP, suggesting that there were humans in the Pymva Shore area at that time. We identified impact notches and cut marks on some radiocarbon‐dated reindeer and bison bones, showing that humans were present twice during the Younger Dryas period. A fourth occupation phase is identified during the mid‐Holocene (6–5 cal. ka BP). We also investigated river terraces and obtained a series of luminescence dates. These have been used to reconstruct the geological history and the relationship to the find‐bearing strata.

Montane record of the late Pleistocene Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) from the Západné Tatry Mountains (northern Slovakia)

ABSTRACT A minimum of four adult cave lions (Panthera spelaea) from the late Pleistocene (MIS 3) are reported from Medvedia Cave in the Západné Tatry Mountains, the mountainous region of northern Slovakia in central Europe. A well-preserved fully adult male skeleton is the altitudinally highest recorded skeleton of this species and belongs to one of the largest reported cave lions. This specimen and a previous reported cave lion female from the same site exemplify the evident sexual dimorphism in this species. The fossils document a cave lion range extension into mountain areas during the Last Glacial, most likely in search of hibernating cave bear prey. Although it is generally assumed that the social behavior pattern of cave lions was similar to that of extant lions, we hypothesize that, at least in mountain environments, a solitary or paired existence was more likely for these large extinct felids. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP Citation for this article: Sabol, M., J. Gullár, and J. Horvát. 2018. Montane record of the late Pleistocene Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) from the Západné Tatry Mountains (northern Slovakia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1467921.

EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY IN FORENSIC BIOLOGY FOR THE ANALYSIS OF HAIRS FROM EXTINCT AND EXTANT MAMMALIAN SPECIES

The possibilities of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for effective species diagnosis and identification of mammals are demonstrated using specific examples of microscopic analysis of mammalian fur, including the fur of extinct species of the Ice Age (woolly mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, cave lion, ancient bison and horses), fur remains from Holocene burials and graves, and fur samples from extant threatened species (chimpanzee, orangutan, Amur leopard, and tiger).

Pavlovian hunters on the margin – archaeozoological analysis of the animal remains discovered at the Pavlov II site (1966 – 67 excavations)

Our archaeozoological studies concerns animal remains discovered during fieldworks led by B. Klíma in 1966 – 1967. The study does not include a few bone tools and personal ornaments made from animal teeth. There were analysed 968 remains of different animal species. Among the mammals, the most numerous are bones and teeth of mammoth, horse, wolf, and reindeer. Other taxa are less numerous, but we point out presence of cave lion bones. The quantity of animal remains discovered at Pavlov II is much lower in comparison with other Pavlovian sites from Pavlov-Dolní Věstonice area. The localization of archeological trench, on the periphery/margin of a larger Pavlovian site, most likely had effect on not large number osteological finds. Nevertheless, our study confirms the importance different Pleistocene species in the everyday life of Gravettian hunters-gatherers. They relied not only on herbivores, but also carnivores, such as wolves, wolverines, bears and cave lions.

Why Does the Regulated Harvest of Black Bears Affect the Rate of Human-Bear Conflicts in New Jersey?

Humanity has a miserable track record in conserving large carnivores: from Paleolithic hunters skinning the enormous cave lion 15,000 years ago to the contemporary loss of the marsupial Tasmanian tiger. Today, several iconic members of the order Carnivora are on the brink of extinction (Amur leopards, Asiatic cheetahs), and over 75% of the world's 31 large carnivore species have experienced alarming population declines, often directly from human persecution. Yet, several species of large predators have dramatically rebounded (European gray wolf, American black bear) in the most unlikely of places: heavily human-dominated landscapes. For example, the black bear population in northwestern New Jersey (NJ), the state with the highest human densities in the United States, has exponentially increased over sixfold in just 15 years. During this period of unprecedented suburban sprawl in NJ there have been over 26,500 reported human-bear interactions including seven attacks on humans and one human fatality. Given accelerating anthropogenic landscape transformation, there simply are not enough large tracts of wildlands remaining to alone support expanding bear populations. Thus, American black bear conservation in the Anthropocene may ultimately depend upon society's tolerance for this large carnivore in areas where people live, work, and recreate. In an effort to curb bear population growth and reduce conflicts, the first regulated NJ black bear harvest in over three decades was held in 2003 resulting in an acrimonious public debate. How can objective population ecology help us make informed decisions about management actions that elicit such strong emotional responses among different stakeholder groups?

The mammalian fauna of Barová Cave (Moravian Karst, the Czech Republic)

Abstract Barová Cave is located in the central part of the Moravian Karst (the Czech Republic), on the right slope of Josefovské Valley; it is the outflow part of Rudické propadání (Rudice Sink) – Býčí skála (Bull Rock) cave system. Even since its discovery by A. Sobol in 1947, Barová Cave has been known as important palaeontological site, with well-preserved fauna of the Late Pleistocene. In the summer of 2011, a landslide of sediments revealed yet unexamined fossiliferous positions, and started the current research activity. There were discovered skeletal remains of these 21 taxa of vertebrates between 2011 – 2017 in Barová Cave: bear from the cave bear group (Ursus ex gr. spelaeus), cave lion (Panthera spelaea), wolf (Canis lupus), cave hyena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea), brown bear (Ursus arctos), lynx (Lynx lynx), wolverine (Gulo gulo), fox, probably red (Vulpes cf. vulpes), marten (Martes cf. martes), alpine ibex (Capra ibex), chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), aurochs or bison (Bos primigenius/Bison priscus), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), horse (Equus sp.), woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis), hare (Lepus sp.), lemming (Dicrostonyx sp.), bank vole (Myodes sp.), jackdaw (Corvus monedula) and probably northern pintail (Anas aff. acuta). Animal osteological material from sectors 2, 3, 4 and R4 from the Under the Ladder test pit in Barová Cave is analysed in detail in this paper. Bears from the group of cave bears completely dominate, the total sum of bones determined as bear bones make up nearly 95% of all determined material. The cave lion bones comprise nearly 3% of the determined osteological material; bones of a wolf represent about 1.2%, bones of cave hyena approximately 0.5% and bones of ungulates approximately 0.2% of all determined material (Tab. 1). From the MNI point of view the bears from the cave bear group dominate too. Bear bones belonged to at least 40 individuals (70.2% of all minimally present individuals) of all age categories (Tabs 1, 2). The predominance of bones of bears from the cave bear group in Barová Cave shows that the cave was mainly used as a bear wintering site. The presence of bear cub bones proved that the cave also served females as a birthing place. Some bones of bears from the group of cave bears and several bones of cave lions, cave hyenas and wolves also show evidence of bite and gnawing marks by carnivores or scavengers (cave lions, cave hyenas, wolves and perhaps cave bears). This suggests that hibernating bears, and more often the cadavers or isolated bones of dead individuals sometimes served as a food source. The seasonality analysis indicates that the time of death varied most frequently near the end of wintering season (spring/summer). The large amount of bear bone material leads to the consideration that the bears from the cave bear group used Barová Cave over a period longer than thousand years.

Gigantic lion, Panthera leo, from the Pleistocene of Natodomeri, eastern Africa

AbstractThe partial skull of a lion from Natodomeri, northwest Kenya is described. The Natodomeri sites are correlated with Member I of the Kibish Formation, dated to between 195 ka and ca. 205 ka. The skull is remarkable for its very great size, equivalent to the largest cave lions (Panthera spelaea [Goldfuss, 1810]) of Pleistocene Eurasia and much larger than any previously known lion from Africa, living or fossil. We hypothesize that this individual represents a previously unknown population or subspecies of lion present in the late Middle and Late Pleistocene of eastern Africa rather than being an indication of climate-driven size increase in lions of that time. This raises questions regarding the extent of our understanding of the pattern and causes of lion evolution in the Late Pleistocene.

The fossil American lion (Panthera atrox) in South America: Palaeobiogeographical implications

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, authors described several specimens belonging to a very large felid, the size of a lion, from some Late Pleistocene localities at southern Chile and Argentina. These remains were considered as belonging to large and now extinct subspecies of jaguar. In the present contribution based on qualitative and quantitative postcranial and cranial characters, we conclude that that the “Patagonian Panthera” should be considered as representing remains of the American Cave Lion Panthera atrox. Evidence at hand indicates that Panthera atrox was a very large lion-like felid, with reddish skin, that inhabited dry open habitats. Furthermore, in contrast to living jaguars, transported and accumulated its preys in rocky dens. The presence of at least two pantherine lineages (i.e. P. onca and P. atrox) in the Pleistocene of South America indicates that the lineage has a long and complex history in the New World, and that the history of the clade in this landmass is still far from being well understood.

Under the Skin of a Lion: Unique Evidence of Upper Paleolithic Exploitation and Use of Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea) from the Lower Gallery of La Garma (Spain).

Pleistocene skinning and exploitation of carnivore furs have been previously inferred from archaeological evidence. Nevertheless, the evidence of skinning and fur processing tends to be weak and the interpretations are not strongly sustained by the archaeological record. In the present paper, we analyze unique evidence of patterned anthropic modification and skeletal representation of fossil remains of cave lion (Panthera spelaea) from the Lower Gallery of La Garma (Cantabria, Spain). This site is one of the few that provides Pleistocene examples of lion exploitation by humans. Our archaeozoological study suggests that lion-specialized pelt exploitation and use might have been related to ritual activities during the Middle Magdalenian period (ca. 14800 cal BC). Moreover, the specimens also represent the southernmost European and the latest evidence of cave lion exploitation in Iberia. Therefore, the study seeks to provide alternative explanations for lion extinction in Eurasia and argues for a role of hunting as a factor to take into account.

Korobchyne-kurhan Palaeolithic Sitein the Landscape of the Velyka Vys River Basin

On the basis of paleopedological research at Korobchyne-kurhan site with a wide range of existing paleogeographic developments, in the article the main features of the ancient Velyka Vys basin landscape, where the site is located, are reconstructed. The landscape is considered as a system that includes the geological component, relief, hydrographic characteristics, climate, soil cover, flora and fauna. The natural conditions analysis of the time when the site existed provides important information to determination of regional patterns selection of individual physical and geographical environments of the past for human living. With the integration of archaeological and paleogeographic studies it is found out that the main assemblage of stone artifacts at Korobchyne-kurhan site is buried in the vytachiv soils suite, the formation of which occurred during the first two climatic optima of the Middle Pleniglacial. The similar to the modern wavy plain relief with a dense system of ravines and gullies was typical for the ancient landscape of the region where the site is situated. To the Velyka Vys wide valley were directed many of its tributaries and which composed a developed hydrographic basin system. In conditions of temperate climate, warm temperate climate with elements of aridization, there were brown and dark brown Vytachiv soils formed on which forest and forest-steppe flora was grown. A fragment of the northern part of the basin was covered mainly with pine forests with an admixture of spruce, oak, elm, linden and hazel. Forb meadows and Poaceae-Artemisia-Chenopodioideae flora were presented too. The rest part of the basin was dominated by forest-steppe vegetation. Woodlands have been formed mostly of pine with an admixture of birch and broad-leaved tree species. In the valleys, ravines and gullies there were grown broad-leaved coniferous forests with the participation of pine, spruce, oak, elm, linden and hazel. Steppe vegetation is represented by different associations of forb-Artemisia-Chenopodioideae flora. Among the large animals of the Vytachiv time in the basin there are discovered the remains of mammoth, bison, horse and cave lion. Asignificant number of smaller fauna of the region is similar to the modern species found in the forest-steppe. Thus, geomorphologic features of the Velyka Vys basin, partitioned diverse relief of terrain, developed hydrographic system of the river, a favorable climate and Vytachiv soil features contributed to the development of a rich forest and forest-steppe vegetation of the region, which was inhabited by a numerous and varied fauna. In consideration of such comfortable for the human existence natural environment and wealth of biological resources of the Velyka Vys basin in Vytachiv time becomes obvious the reasons for choosing that habitat by primitive societies. The attractiveness of the choice for the site was enhanced by the presence of available stone material resources, outcrops of which are located not far from the site.

Late Pleistocene Felidae remains (Mammalia, Carnivora) from Geographical Society Cave in the Russian Far East

Fossil remains of felids from Geographical Society Cave and neighboring localities (Tigrovaya Cave, Malaya Pensau Cave, and Letuchiya Mysh Cave) in the Russian Far East are found to belong to four species: Panthera tigris, P. spelaea, P. pardus, and Lynx lynx. In Geographical Society Cave, the felid fossils are confined to deposits of the warm stage of the Late Pleistocene (MIS3). The simultaneous presence of Panthera tigris and P. spelaea seems to be unusual, the tiger remains being numerous whereas those of the cave lion are scant. There are differences between the Late Pleistocene tiger and the recent tiger in dental characters. P. tigris, most probably, migrated twice to Russian Far East from southern regions: in interstadial MIS3 and, subsequently, in the Holocene.

Mitogenomics of the Extinct Cave Lion, Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810), Resolve its Position within the Panthera Cats

The extinct cave lion ( Panthera spelaea ) was an apex predator of the Pleistocene, and one of the largest felid species ever to exist. We report the first mitochondrial genome sequences for this species, derived from two Beringian specimens, one of which has been radiocarbon dated to 29,860 ± 210 14C a BP. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the placement of the cave lion as the sister taxon to populations of the modern lion ( P. leo ). Using newly recovered stem pantherine fossils to calibrate a molecular clock, we estimate that P. spelaea and P. leo diverged about 1.89 million years ago (95% credibility interval: 1.23–2.93 million years), highlighting the likely position of this extinct carnivore as a distinct species.

The scene of a spectacular feast (part II): Animal remains from Dolní Věstonice II, the Czech Republic

Studies of the archaeological and paleontological materials from Dolní Věstonice II provide insight into the lives of humans nearly 30,000 years ago. Bones of small animals (birds, hares, foxes) and medium animals (wolf, reindeer, wolverine) dominate at the site, but there are also bones of large mammals (bears, cave lion, horse and mammoth), showing that the prey spectrum of the hunters was wide. The large total number of animal remains supports the suggestion that these were accumulated during a relatively long human occupation of the site, perhaps lasting months or even years.In Moravia early Gravettian hunting strategy was less specialized than in later periods (e.g., at Milovice I). Large (mammoth, horse), medium (reindeer), and small animals (birds and hares) were important components of the diet and also used as raw materials. The carnivores – wolf, wolverine, foxes – were certainly important prey, not only for their hides but also for use in tool production and the creation of ornaments. Pavlovians also hunted even the larger carnivores (bears and lion).

Morphological and genetic identification and isotopic study of the hair of a cave lion (Panthera spelaea Goldfuss, 1810) from the Malyi Anyui River (Chukotka, Russia)

We present the first detailed analyses of the preserved hair of a cave lion (Panthera spelaea Goldfuss, 1810). The hair was found in association with a skeleton that was recovered recently from perennially frozen Pleistocene sediments in the lower reaches of the Malyi Anyui River (Chukotka, Russia). We extract mitochondrial DNA from the hair to confirm its taxonomic identity, and perform detailed morphological analyses of the color and structure of the hair using light optical microscopy and SEM. In addition, we compare the cave lion hair to hair taken from the back and mane of an African lion. We find that cave lion hair is similar but not identical to that of the present-day lion. In addition to slightly different coloration, cave lions had a very thick and dense undercoat comprising closed and compressed wavy downy hair with a medulla. In addition, while the microstructures of the medulla and cortex of cave lion hair are similar in extinct and living lions, the cuticular scales of cave lion hair are higher than those in living lions, suggesting that cave lion hair is stronger and more robust than that of living lions. We hypothesize that the differences between cave lion hair and present-day lion hair may be due to adaptations of cave lions to the harsh climatic and environmental conditions of the Pleistocene Ice Ages.

The assessment of the internal architecture of an MIS 3 cave bear bone assemblage. Case study: Urşilor Cave, Western Carpathians, Romania

Urşilor Cave is one of the most complex MIS 3 cave bear settlements of Europe: it incorporates a large number of cave bears' palaeoichnofabrics (bioglyphs: nests, footprints, scratch marks, fur imprints, etc.) and several bone assemblages of different age and genesis. This study has the aim of analyzing the spatial orientation and the internal architecture of the bone assemblage from the excavation chamber of the scientific reserve (lower level of the cave) in order to assess the environmental conditions of the bone deposition. As such, almost 580 long bones were analyzed for spatial orientation, and almost 100 plates of bone levels were documented at every 10cm of depth (mapped, photographed and topographed). The obtained results point to an in situ thanatocoenosis (typical for cave traps) and reveal the taphonomic conditions at the time of the bone layers' deposition. Moreover, the taphonomic approach helped us to better understand the obtained radiocarbon data (on cave bear fossils)—which previously indicated a non-concordance with the stratigraphy—and to perform a taphonomic model for the bone’ deposition from the excavation chamber. Moreover, we report here the discovery of two fossil carnivore skeletons (a cave bear and a cave lion), one of the best preserved and anatomically connected, documented in such environments.

From Gesture to Myth: Artists’ techniques on the walls of Chauvet Cave

The walls of the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave are decorated with charcoal drawings dated to an average of 36000 cal BP, red paintings, engravings, and finger-traced designs, all grouped in distinct panels. Examination of the 14C dates, which are increasingly revealed to be of great antiquity, dating to the Early Aurignacian, allows for more precise modeling of human use of the cave. The attribution of certain components of the parietal art to the Gravettian, based on directly dated torch-marks on the walls and charcoal on the cave floors, remains secure. A survey of the techniques employed, organized around the three colors used (white, black, red), reveals formal diversity in the site, and at the same time confirms multiple points of convergence and commonality in terms of the themes and composition of the panels, which underline the homogeneity of the works as an ensemble. Ethology and the theme of cave lions on the hunt hold a central place in the inspiration of the artists at Chauvet; through their spectacular frescos, these artists have provided us a point of access to their symbolic vision of the world and an element of their myths.

On the discovery of a cave lion from the Malyi Anyui River (Chukotka, Russia)

An incomplete postcranial skeleton (67 elements) of a cave lion, a lower jaw and a bundle of fine yellowish hair were found by a local resident in 2008 and 2009 washed out from the perennially frozen Pleistocene sediments in the lower reaches of the Malyi Anyui River (western Chukotka). This is the first skeleton of a cave lion (Panthera spelaea Goldfuss) to be found in Russia. The bone sizes are similar to finds of cave lion bones known from N–E Russia, but larger than East Beringian and smaller than West European ones. The remains have been studied using a variety of methods, including morphology, morphometry, SEM-examination, AMS-dating, and isotopic study, which included examination of over 100 samples of various members of the mammoth faunal assemblage (mammoth, wooly rhinoceros, bison, horse, bear, etc.). The results showed that the northeastern Asian cave lion hunted mainly bison and horses, but not reindeer, unlike its Western Europe counterpart. Bone and claw sheath dating showed an unexpectedly old geochronological age of over 61,000 years (OZQ290, OZQ291), while the hair was dated 28,690 ± 130 (OZQ292), which makes its affinity with the same individual as the skeleton questionable. Further studies to investigate possible unremoved contamination and obtain more reliable date are planned.

Population Demography and Genetic Diversity in the Pleistocene Cave Lion

With a range that covered most of northern Eurasia and parts of North America, the cave lion (Panthera spelaea) was one of the most widespread carnivores of the Late Pleistocene. Earlier ancient DN ...

Large mammals from the Upper Neopleistocene reference sections in the Tunka rift valley, southwestern Baikal Region

This work presents the data on new finds of fossil macrotheriofauna in the reference sections of the Upper Neopleistocene sediments in the Tunka rift valley (southwestern Baikal Region). The osteological material of a number of Late Neopleistocene mammals including extinct species rare for the Baikal region such as Crocuta spelaea, Panthera spelaea, and Spirocerus kiakhtensis (?) was directly dated with a radiocarbon (AMS) method. The obtained 14C data (18000–35000 years) allow one to rejuvenate significantly the upper limit of the common age interval of habitat of these animals in southern part of Eastern Siberia. Cave hyena and spiral-horned antelope lived in the Tunka rift valley in the Baikal region in Late Kargino time (37–24 ka), and cave lion survived the maximum in the Sartan cryochron in the region (21–20 ka). The study of collected paleontological collections provides a basis for selection of independent Kargino (MIS 3) faunal assemblages to use them for regional biostratigraphic analysis of Pleistocene deposits. Radiocarbon age dating of samples allows one to attribute confidently all paleofaunal remains available to the second half of the Late Pleistocene.

Reconstruction of the Gravettian food-web at Předmostí I using multi-isotopic tracking (13C, 15N, 34S) of bone collagen

The Gravettian site of Předmostí I in the central Moravian Plain has yielded a rich and diverse large mammal fauna dated around 25–27,000 14C years BP (ca. 29,500–31,500 cal BP). This fauna includes numerous carnivores (cave lion, wolf, brown bear, polar fox, wolverine) and herbivores (reindeer, large bovine, red deer, muskox, horse, woolly rhinoceros, woolly mammoth) whose trophic position could be reconstructed using stable isotopic tracking (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) of bone collagen (n = 63). Among large canids, two morphotypes, “Pleistocene wolves” and “Palaeolithic dogs”, were considered, and two human bones attributed to the Gravettian assemblage of Předmostí I were also sampled. The trophic system around the Gravettian settlement of Předmostí I showed the typical niche partitioning among herbivores and carnivores seen in other mammoth-steppe contexts. The contribution of the analyzed prey species to the diet of the predators, including humans, was evaluated using a Bayesian mixing model (SIAR). Lions included great amounts of reindeer/muskox and possibly bison in their diet, while Pleistocene wolves were more focused on horse and possibly mammoth. Strong reliance on mammoth meat was found for the human of the site, similarly to previously analyzed individuals from other Gravettian sites in Moravia. Interestingly, the large canids interpreted as “Palaeolithic dogs” had a high proportion of reindeer/muskox in their diet, while consumption of mammoth would be expected from the availability of this prey especially in case of close interaction with humans. The peculiar isotopic composition of the Palaeolithic dogs of Předmostí I may indicate some control of their dietary intake by Gravettian people, who could have use them more for transportation than hunting purpose.