Did pollen allergies lead to the extinction of woolly mammoths?

Woolly mammoths have long been thought to have disappeared due to a combination of factors, such as climate change and human activity. However, a recent study proposes an unexpected hypothesis: pollen allergies may have played a role in its extinction. The study suggests that at the end of the last ice age, an increase in vegetation led to excessive pollen production. This may have caused allergic reactions in mammoths, affecting their sense of smell. Because mammoths relied heavily on smell for several vital functions, such as finding food, avoiding predators, and locating mates, pollen-related allergies could have seriously disrupted these abilities.

Could allergies explain the extinction?

Researchers argue that this restriction during the mating season has made it difficult for mammoths to communicate and reproduce, contributing to a sharp population decline. However, further testing, including examining fossilized mammoth remains for immune proteins associated with allergic reactions, is needed to confirm this theory.

Skepticism surrounding the hypothesis

Although the study presents a compelling story, not all experts are convinced. For example, evolutionary biologist Vincent Lynch points out that the extinction of mammoths was more likely caused by a combination of environmental changes and human hunting. Until more concrete evidence emerges, the pollen allergy theory remains an intriguing but debated topic in mammoth research.