Direct dating confirms the presence of otter and badger in early Holocene Ireland

Abstract

The origin of Ireland’s fauna is an unresolved issue in the history of the island. Although researchers once considered Ireland’s mammals to have spread to Ireland during the early postglacial from 11,700 cal BP, research has increasingly suggested humans translocated many of these species to Ireland. However, due to sparse evidence, the origin of Ireland’s purported native mustelid species remains unanswered. In this study, we shed light on the history of otter and badger in Ireland by directly dating suspected early examples of these species from Derragh, Co. Longford, a late Mesolithic campsite. The results demonstrate that both of these species have been present in Ireland for at least 7000–8000 years. It is not clear if they represent self-colonisers or Mesolithic anthropogenic translocations. Although these finds do not rule out local extinction and later reintroduction, they show that we can no longer assume they are solely late Holocene introductions.