A new preprint suggests Neanderthals in northern Spain regularly processed beavers and marmots about 130,000 years ago — a detail that sharpens our picture of their dietary flexibility and survival tactics. The find, reported in a ResearchSquare preprint and flagged by IFLScience, sheds light on how these hominins exploited small to medium-sized animals when larger prey was scarce.
Bones, tools and butchery signals at Valdegoba Cave
Excavations at Valdegoba Cave uncovered hundreds of bones from Eurasian beaver and alpine marmot alongside stone tools and Neanderthal remains. Radiometric and contextual evidence places the assemblage at about 130,000 years old.
Researchers report two distinct sets of marks on the bones. Some show punctures and abrasions typical of scavenging carnivores such as foxes or wolves. Others carry linear incisions and breakage patterns consistent with deliberate human processing — slicing of meat and separation of joints.
The authors describe these anthropogenic traces as consistent with systematic removal of flesh and anatomical dismemberment, indicating that Neanderthals were not merely scavenging but actively butchering small mammals for food.
What the evidence suggests about Neanderthal diets
Rather than replacing big-game hunting, beavers and marmots appear to have been part of a broader, opportunistic subsistence strategy. Their presence in large numbers suggests these animals served as reliable, readily available resources that could supplement or bridge gaps between larger kills.
This pattern aligns with other recent research showing Neanderthals exploited a wide range of animal sizes and habitats — from megafauna to small, fast-moving rodents — reflecting adaptable foraging and technical skills.
- Site: Valdegoba Cave, northern Spain
- Age: ~130,000 years (preprint context)
- Primary remains: Eurasian beaver and alpine marmot bones
- Associated finds: Stone tools and Neanderthal skeletal material
- Taphonomy: Mixed scavenger tooth marks and human-made cut/butte ry traces
- Interpretation: Opportunistic consumption and systematic butchery of small-to-medium game
Understanding these dietary choices matters because they reveal behavioral flexibility. When big prey were scarce or environmental conditions changed, Neanderthals could pivot to abundant, smaller species — a survival tactic that would have reinforced group resilience across varied landscapes and climates.
That said, the research is currently posted as a preprint and has not completed peer review. While the taphonomic evidence is compelling, additional analyses — including seasonality studies, isotopic work, and broader regional comparisons — will help confirm how widespread and long-lasting this pattern was.
Ultimately, the Valdegoba material adds nuance to the image of Neanderthals as specialized big-game hunters. It emphasizes their capacity for opportunistic exploitation of local resources and provides a finer-grained view of how hominins navigated changing environments — a line of inquiry that remains central to understanding human evolution today.
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