Scientists from the Center for Ecological Dynamics in the New Biosphere (ECONOVO) of the Danish National Research Foundation at the University of Aarhus concluded that the extinction of large mammals in the last 50 thousand years is mainly due to human activity, writes the journal Cambridge Prisms: Extinction.
The scientific work investigates the reasons for the extinction of the megafauna, which includes animals weighing at least 45 kilograms. In the last 50,000 years alone, at least 161 species of mammals have gone extinct, including terrestrial herbivores weighing more than one ton, which are classified as megaherbivores. Of the 57 species of megaherbivores that existed during this period, only 11 remain today.
Abrupt climate changes, such as interglacials and ice ages between 130 and 11 thousand years ago, affected animal populations but did not cause mass extinctions of megafauna. The authors note that previous frosts did not result in selective losses of large animals, indicating little influence of climate compared to human activity.
Archaeological evidence shows that early humans were efficient hunters of large animals such as mammoths and mastodons. These animals are particularly vulnerable due to their long gestation period, small number of offspring and long time to reach sexual maturity. The analysis shows that human hunting has led to significant losses of megafauna on every continent except Antarctica and in all types of ecosystems, from tropical forests to polar regions.
Researchers emphasize the importance of protecting and restoring ecosystems with the reintroduction of large mammals. This can help restore the ecological balance and support the biodiversity that depends on the presence of megafauna.