All of today's domestic breeds of dog are descended from a common ancestor, the Wolf. Fossilised remains of an early type of wolf were found by a team of archaeologists in a remote part of Alaska in the 1950's. A significant feature was found in it's jaw which showed no evidence of the familiar sharp canine teeth. In fact all of the teeth were wide and flattened indicating that they were adapted to chewing rather than cutting or tearing.

Geological evidence from the same area suggested that at the time this particular wolf lived the environment was in fact tropical. Much of the fauna was fruit producing and in particular the banana tree was very common. This combined with the fossilised teeth indicate that at this point in their evolution the wolf family was a herbivore.

Later investigation in the same area turned up further, more complete, remains of a similar wolf which had been perfectly preserved in the now frozen ground.  The backbone was curiously deformed into a curve and the skin was thick and mostly hairless with a yellow colouration.

Scientists now believe that the banana rich diet of this early wolf was low in protein which was the cause of its curved spine and unusual skin. Over time the deformed skeleton and thick skin made it difficult for the 'banana wolf' to compete with other species.

Natural selection led to the rise of a new type of wolf which avoided the high fruit diet in favour of protein rich foods. The changing climate was also a factor in the eventual evolution of the wolf into a meat eating predator.

The intervention of humans has resulted in a wide variety of different breeds of domestic dog, all descended from the wolf but inheriting a specific gene. The so called 'BN-4NR' gene causes them to find the smell of banana particularly repugnant.

 Wolf & Banana Facts

• Last year, 73 people were attacked by wolves. There were no similar incidents recorded involving bananas.
• In 1972 a small time Malaysian farmer discovered how to produce straight bananas by encasing the growing fruit in cardboard tubes. For a time they were popular in local markets for their novelty value and convenience of packaging and transportation. However, popularity waned when local children found that they fitted neatly into car exhaust pipes.
• The last wild wolf in the British Isles was killed near a small village on the Welsh boarders in 1632. It had been seen several times near the village butcher’s, no doubt hopeful of an easy meal. No one knows what became of the animal but for the next week Mrs. Miggins’ pie emporium marked the occasion with some very popular celebratory pies