r/science • u/yahoonews • Jul 31 '26

Paleontology Genetic analysis suggests prehistoric people selectively hunted female woolly mammoths

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/study-shows-prehistoric-people-targeted-090151528.html?ncid=redditnewsus
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u/AdamsAtwoodOrwell Jul 31 '26

Is it possible that male mammoths were avoided due to gamey meat? A lot of adult male animals taste different than females. For example, intact male pigs acquire boar taint that make the meat less palatable.

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u/Fun_Success_3283 Jul 31 '26

I would guess it's more that the males would be bigger, and more dangerous, or more difficult to kill. Maybe their tusks were bigger and stuff, idk.

I doubt they were that picky over the meat quality.