Living with Royalty
They found a 7 month grey wolf in the Yukon permafrost, a Zhur, in the local lingo, from 57,000 years ago. If I reduce their life expectancy, for that period and overall, to 5 years, that’s 11,400 generations ago !
They’ve been around for 1 1/2 million years and that’s 300,000 generations, using the earlier basis.
There were earlier versions of us, also 1 1/2 millions years ago, Homo Erectus (really ! 😂), but Homo Sapiens, which is us now, arrived on the scene 200,000 years ago, so in comparison, we’re beginners. It made me pause, what survivors, what Royalty, I’m Living with Royalty !
I have an Alaskan Malamute, just 10 years old now (Teddy) and they are the closest in looks and equal size to the grey wolf. The main difference is that the wolf holds its tail downwards and the Alaskan malamute, curls upwards over its back.
Teddy (Ted) is my 6th Alaskan Malamute….. taking me back to the 1980’s. They have some different behaviour traits to many dogs, which makes them a bit more difficult for the home, but the rewards for me have been many.
Anyway, this recent National Geographic article, about the discovery gave me pause and I remembered that on occasion that I have felt privileged to share time with Teddy and his predecessors.
Khi was my first, from a puppy. From the many events during my relationship with Alaskan Malamutes, I recall one wintry day, when snow had fallen overnight. Going out to the porch where Khi’s kennel was located, (they have all slept outside, because it is cooler), she was not there. We had very large front and back gardens then and I combed the front, without success and all around the trees, bushes etc., in the back garden. No foot prints. I repeated, I repeated, finally ending back at the porch, shouting again, when suddenly, near the front hedge, the snow cracked and she emerged. A choice between a warm kennel and earth + snow. This was timeless and a vision of their past.
Many other stories in between, but back to now and Teddy, who we should have been named Houdini, as many of the neighbours throughout the village were to discover.
He’s tall for an Alaskan Malamute and how he kept getting out, remains a mystery, because each escape ploy was fixed and removed. He seemed to possess the ability to morph and get through obstacles which much smaller dogs would not attempt.
Living with Royalty…. 
Here’s 3 short vids of my friend, Teddy….