Megafauna was the meat of choice for South American hunters
3 days ago
- #human impact
- #archaeology
- #Pleistocene megafauna
- Recent study suggests human hunters played a significant role in the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna in South America.
- Archaeologists examined animal bones at 20 sites in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, dating back over 11,600 years.
- Bones from extinct megafauna (e.g., giant sloths, giant armadillos, elephant-like creatures) showed signs of human butchering.
- At 15 of 20 sites, most butchered bones were from extinct megafauna; at 13 sites, they accounted for over 80% of bones.
- Hunters preferred extinct prey like giant sloths, armadillos, horses, and elephant relatives when available.
- In central Chile, the main prey was Notiomastodon platensis, an elephant relative.
- In Patagonia and the Pampas, hunters favored two species of giant sloths.