Researchers Uncover Ancient Arctic Rhino Species in Canada

Researchers have identified a new species of rhino that once roamed the Canadian Arctic, a discovery that sheds light on the evolutionary history of these animals. The extinct species, named Epiatheracerium itjilik, was detailed in a study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution on March 15, 2024. This finding marks the northernmost known rhino species, which lived approximately 23 million years ago during the Early Miocene period.

Lead author Danielle Fraser, head of palaeobiology at the Canadian Museum of Nature, explained, “Today there are only five species of rhinos in Africa and Asia, but in the past they were found in Europe and North America, with more than 50 species known from the fossil record. The addition of this Arctic species to the rhino family tree now offers new insights into their evolutionary history.”

Frosty the Rhino

The species name Epiatheracerium itjilik derives from the Inuktitut word meaning “frosty” or “frost.” Researchers discovered the bones of this ancient rhino at the Haughton Crater on Devon Island, Nunavut, an area that was once a temperate forest habitat during the Miocene epoch. Remarkably, the skeleton is nearly complete and in exceptional condition, with about 75% of the bones recovered.

According to Marisa Gilbert, a co-author of the study and paleobiologist at the Canadian Museum of Nature, “They are three-dimensionally preserved and have only been partially replaced by minerals. The preservation quality is incredibly high for a fossil.” The wear on the cheek teeth indicates that this individual lived into its early to mid-adulthood.

This newly discovered species stood approximately 3 feet (1 meter) tall, comparable in size to a modern muskox, and lacked a horn. The environment it inhabited likely resembled the forests of southern Ontario today, suggesting that it primarily fed on leaves, twigs, and shrubs. However, researchers acknowledge that these insights are based on limited skeletal remains.

New Insights into Evolution

The research team also updated the family tree of rhinocerotids and explored the dispersal of the Rhinocerotidae family. Their findings indicate that the Arctic rhino may have reached North America via the now-submerged North Atlantic Land Bridge, which challenges previous theories suggesting that this land bridge only facilitated species dispersal until around 56 million years ago.

“It’s always exciting and informative to describe a new species,” Fraser remarked. “But there is more that comes from the identification of Epiatheracerium itjilik, as our reconstructions of rhino evolution show that the North Atlantic played a much more important role in their evolution than previously thought.”

This discovery underscores the Arctic’s potential to offer new knowledge and insights into mammal diversification over time. As research continues, it may reshape our understanding of the ecological dynamics that existed millions of years ago.