Was an extinct fox once man's best friend?

[Judi Lynn]

1. Foxes were man's best friend before dogs arrived, archaeologists claim

Foxes were man’s best friend before dogs arrived, archaeologists claim
Remains at a burial site in Patagonia suggests that Dusicyon avus was a valuable companion to hunter-gatherers

Nilima Marshall
43 minutes ago

Archaeologists have revealed an animal that was man’s best friend before the humble dog.
An extinct fox in Argentina may have once been in that role, sharing a “strong bond” with humans, research suggests.

Analysis of 1,500-year-old skeletal remains at a burial site in Patagonia suggests that Dusicyon avus – also known as Falkland Islands wolf – was “a valuable companion to the hunter-gatherer groups”.

The fox bones belong to a single animal while the human remains come from 21 different individuals, in what scientists described as “a very rare and unusual find”.

The team said the findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, represents “a unique case” of partnership between a human and a wild South American fox.

Lack of cut marks on the bones suggest D. avus was not hunted by humans for food, the scientists said.

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/human-pet-fox-dogs-falkland-islands-wolf-b2526306.html