A study published on July 10 in the journal Science maps the path of Greenland sled dogs from their ancient origins to the present day. Researchers sequenced the genomes of 92 dogs from regions of Greenland, demonstrating that the Qimmeq breed comes from a unique genetic lineage distinct from other Nordic breeds.
The Qimmeq, one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, has retained its traditional function as a working sled dog for over 9,500 years, bred almost exclusively by Inuit mushers for transportation and hunting. The enduring relationship shows the critical role these dogs have played in the survival and culture of the Inuit people in the Arctic regions.
Led by study author Tatiana Feuerborn, the research provides insights into Greenland sled dogs' spread and movement over millennia and the accompanying human history. By analyzing the genomes, the researchers traced the dogs' history back 9,500 years to Zhokhov Island in Eastern Siberia. The Qimmeq forms a distinct clade with other ancient Arctic dogs, particularly with a 3,700-year-old dog from Alaska.
"Greenlandic dogs are situated within a clade that includes a dog from 3,700 years ago from Alaska, supporting a rapid movement of the Inuit across the Arctic of North America," the authors concluded. This finding supports the theory of a rapid Inuit migration across the North American Arctic.
The analysis revealed evidence of two independent introductions of dogs to Greenland. "The first introduction was older than expected and linked to Paleo-Inuit peoples. The second introduction was related to the arrival of later Inuit groups," the study states. These findings support the idea that different Inuit groups had limited amounts of mixing and stayed largely in their distinct regions since the peopling of Greenland.
By examining the divergence of populations of Qimmeq in Greenland, researchers pieced together past migration patterns and determined the order in which regions were settled. The study documents a correlation between genomic differences in dog populations and cultural and linguistic divisions among Inuit peoples, reflecting similar divisions among the Indigenous peoples of Greenland.
"Studies like this demonstrate the relevance of paleogenomic knowledge for current conversations and decisions focused on the conservation and preservation of culturally significant species," the authors wrote, according to La Vanguardia. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the deep historical connections between the Qimmeq and the Inuit.
Despite their history and genetic uniqueness, the Qimmeq population declined from 25,000 in 2002 to 13,000 in 2020 due to climate change, urbanization, and competition with modern technologies like snowmobiles. The continuous decline underscores the urgency of documenting its remaining genetic diversity to guide conservation efforts, as the loss of the breed would be both biological and cultural.
The Qimmeq represents an example of collaboration between human and animal species. They are under strong selection to be good team players, willing to work with humans, strong endurance athletes, cold-tolerant, and able to subsist on a specific all-meat and blubber diet. These traits anchored the genes of the Qimmeq for centuries.
Despite many historical records of Greenlanders purposefully outbreeding their sled dogs with local wolves to boost pack health, there was little evidence that Qimmeq are more closely linked to wolves than any other sled dog groups. "We were shocked to not see this," said study co-author Feuerborn, a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, according to Nature.
The researchers compared the genomes with over 1,900 genomes of ancient and modern dogs from around the world, including previously published canine genomes. This global reference confirmed that the genetic profile of the Qimmeq remained stable despite the environmental and social changes experienced in Greenland. "There was minimal European ancestry in Greenlandic dogs, indicating isolation from foreign breeds in recent centuries, probably favored by preservation policies," the study states, as reported by La Vanguardia.
The study provides a glimpse into Qimmeq history and important information for the dogs' future conservation. Preserving a healthy Qimmeq population requires understanding their current status, how much inbreeding is occurring, and what the minimum necessary numbers are for avoiding the spread of deleterious mutations.
"Our study is just on the past and what's happening right now, but it sets a blueprint for what can be done moving forward," said Feuerborn, according to Nature.
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.