File photo of woolly mammoths.

A study suggests that woolly mammoths did not inevitably die out because of inbreeding and lack of genetic diversity, the BBC reported.

Scientists used techniques normally used to tackle crime scenes to carry out DNA analysis of samples taken from Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean.

They said it was more likely that human activity or environmental factors killed off the healthy creatures.

Their work is published in the journal Molecular Ecology. The research had immense implications for modern-day conservation programs.