megafauna

Mysterious disappearance of megafauna: why humans may share the blame

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BY CHRISTOPHER McFADDEN

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There have been six megafaunal extinctions since the Late Pleistocene.

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The most recent of these fell between 18,000–11,000 years ago in South America, 30,000–14,000 in North America, and 50,000–32,000 years ago in Australia. 

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Coincidentally, or perhaps not, these also happened at the same time as early humans settled those areas, but was that the cause?

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Dr. Jenna Crowe-Riddell

More accurately called the Pleistocene megafauna, they were a group of enormous animals that inhabited Earth throughout the Pleistocene period.

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During the Quaternary extinction event, many Pleistocene megafaunas became extinct, drastically altering ecosystems worldwide.

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We are not entirely sure, but megafauna worldwide likely became extinct due to ecological and environmental reasons. Whatever the cause, we do have a good idea of the timing.

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The extinction event was not total. A small population of mammoths was still present on Wrangel Island 4,500 years ago.

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More in the article.

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