Grey squirrels, introduced from North America, largely eradicated the UK's native Reds. A contributing factor was the transmission of Squirrel pox. The Reds are much more sensitive to this viral disease than their Grey cousins. Large numbers of infected Reds died. Jonathan Kennedy (Queen Mary University College, London) suggests something similar happened, when
Homo sapiens 'out-competed' Neanderthals (
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/30/50000-year-old-herpes-virus-humans-dna-homo-sapiens-neanderthals). It's now accepted that Neanderthals were remarkably sophisticated. Some current human populations also carry 2% of Neanderthal genes. This proves there was interbreeding between these two hominid species. Kennedy notes, however, that
Homo sapiens evolved nearer the equator. This made them more likely to carry a range of viral infections than Neanderthals. He says that recent advances in studying ancient DNA, have enabled scientists to identify viruses found in fossiled human remains. For example, a 50,000 year-old virus has now been identified in skeletal tooth plaque. Kennedy opines that
Homo sapiens might have 'finished off' Neanderthals, by infecting them with deadly viral diseases. Plagues have been quite common in human history. Not so different, then, from the Grey squirrel story?
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