Early humans linked to ancient Australian extinction
Thursday, October 22, 2015 - 06:40
in Paleontology & Archaeology
While the anthropogenic impact on global species diversity is clear, the role of ancient human populations in causing extinctions is more controversial. New data presented this week at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meetings in Dallas, Texas, implicates early humans in the extinction of large mammals, birds and lizards in Australia. More precise dating of these extinction events places them 14,000 years after the first arrival of humans in Australia, suggesting human predation was the most likely cause.