South American Ice Age Hunters Favored Extinct Megafauna for Sustenance

Throughout the prehistoric age in South America, human hunters heavily relied on megafauna, now-extinct large animals like giant sloths, as primary sources of nourishment. Recent archaeological evidence highlights that these creatures, which roamed the Earth during the Ice Age, were not just casualties of environmental changes but also victims of human hunting practices.

Species such as the giant sloth were particularly sought after due to their size, which offered substantial amounts of meat. This preference played a role in driving these animals to extinction. This pattern mirrors behaviors seen in other parts of the world where human expansion coincided with the decline of large animal populations.

The reliance on megafauna is evidenced by fossilized remains and hunting tools found across various South American sites. These findings have led scientists to re-evaluate the extent of human impact on biodiversity during prehistoric times.

Understanding these interactions between early humans and their environment helps illuminate the broader narrative of human history and its evolutionary journey. Such insights are vital for present-day conservation efforts as they underscore the long-standing human capability to alter ecosystems significantly.

The evidence also challenges previous assumptions that climate change alone was responsible for the mass extinctions of the period, highlighting how anthropogenic activities have historically contributed to ecological shifts.

For more details, refer to the original article on Ars Technica.