The Economic Times

What was so special about Wrangel and St. Paul islands, where Woolly Mammoths survived until their extinction? Scientists revealed the answer two decades ago

For years, scientists believed the last woolly mammoths disappeared because inbreeding and genetic decline made survival impossible. A landmark 2024 Cell study now challenges that theory. By analyzing ancient woolly mammoth DNA from different time periods, researchers found the isolated Wrangel Island population remained genetically viable for thousands of years.