An Ice Age dietary surprise
In the mountainous Surkhandarya Region of southern Uzbekistan, paleontological finds have challenged long-held ideas about the diet of Ice Age megafauna. The remains belong to Ursus ingressus, a species of cave bear, and date to the Late Pleistocene, approximately 25,000 years ago. These bears lived at high altitudes, an unusual setting for this species, which was more commonly found in medium and high elevation zones across Central and Eastern Europe. The discovery is located in the western spurs of the Gissar Range, a part of the greater Pamir-Alay mountain system.
Traditionally, many bear species, both living and extinct, are considered omnivores, consuming a mix of plants, meat, and fish. Some studies on Ursus ingressus from other regions suggested an omnivorous diet that included more animal protein than modern brown bears. Other research pointed to a more herbivorous lifestyle. The Surxon Daryo remains provided a unique opportunity to test these hypotheses in a Central Asian context. The way to understand their diet was in the chemical composition of their bones.