One wolf wonder

a total population of as few as 400–500 individuals. And only two of these retain their traditional forest-dwelling lifestyles. Because the Andamanese share physical features with African pygmies, including short stature and dark skin, and contrast with other Asian pygmoid people, there has been speculation that they may be directly related to African pygmies. However, a study of blood groups in the 1950s showed that they were more related to Oceanic people than Africans and the current work looks at molecular markers on the Y chromosome, maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA and other chromosomal regions for several groups of Andaman islanders. The results suggest that the native Andamanese belong to a group not previously identified in Asia or Africa, suggesting an early split from those populations for the ancestors of this group. The genetic patterns revealed were supported by the analysis of mitochondrial DNA extracted from historical hair samples from the Duckworth Collection at the University of Cambridge, greatly adding to the confidence in the analyses and results. But, in the new sensitivity about the use of human remains in museums, there are also concerns about the loss of irretrievable scientific insights. The Royal College of Surgeons in London decided this year to return all the indigenous material it held in its collection in Oxford following a visit from a Tasmanian delegation concerned about Aboriginal material. And many other museums are reconsidering their policies. The balance between scientific insight and cultural respect looks set to be increasingly difficult. Universities and museums with research departments 'fear that important research such as in the history of disease, changing epidemiological patterns, forensics and DNA resistance could be compromised,' says Jane Morris, editor of the Museums Journal. 'They fear that a unique history that will be impossible to recover, which tells the story of human diversity and global migrations, will be lost.' Magazine R45 One of the key problems facing the management of endangered species is the possibility that dwindling populations become isolated and inbred, further threatening their existence. There can be few species that have had a tougher recent time of it than the grey wolf (Canis lupus) which has been subject of intense hunting and extermination since the nineteenth century. In the 1960s the grey wolf was finally considered extinct on the Scandinavian peninsular. But 20 years ago, a small breeding pack was discovered in southern Scandinavia, more than 900 kilometres from the …