Prehistoric giant animals killed by man, not climate: study (Tasmania)

AFP ^ | Aug 12, 2008 | Madeleine Coorey

[decimon]

SYDNEY (AFP) - The chance discovery of the remains of a prehistoric giant kangaroo has cast doubts on the long-held view that climate change drove it and other mega-fauna to extinction, a new study reveals.

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He said that it was likely that hunting killed off Tasmania's mega-fauna -- including the long-muzzled, 120 kilogram (264 pound) giant kangaroo, a rhinoceros-sized wombat and marsupial 'lions' which resembled leopards.

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The finding of the latest study has already been contested, with Judith Field of the University of Sydney saying the idea that humans killed the giant creatures was "in the realms of speculative fantasy".

"Humans cannot even be placed at the scene," she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

[decimon]

Who’s your killer daddy ping.

[NVDave]

I’m sure that more study will reveal that the hunters were evil members of the National Spear and Club Association, who even then, were running well-funded campaigns against efforts to control pointed sticks.

[RightOnline]

A wombat the size of a rhino?? Yee gads..........

[GreenAccord]

This study would have gotten a lot more traction if it was titled:

Prehistoric giant animals killed by climate that was changed by man: study

[Tarpon]

Man kills big scary beasts that want to eat him. Shocked I tell you, just shocked. And I hear they taste like chicken.

Sometimes it is just the simple answers that win out.

[WayneS]

Well, one way or the other... it’s MAN’S fault!!!!!!

[WayneS]

...AND blunt sticks.

[qam1]

But, but, but, but my college professors told me ancient man lived in harmony with nature and it's only the eeeeviil white man with his capitalism that drives species extinct.

[WayneS]

Well, if a 264 lb kangaroo shows up in my yard and starts to eat the vegetables I am growing, I’m afraid I’m have to have to kill it. Too bad, I suppose, but I need my crops for my food supply.

[decimon]

A wombat the size of a rhino?? Yee gads..........

The good old days.

[WayneS]

Okay, I’ve got to say it:

“If sticks are outlawed, only outlaws will have sticks”

[denydenydeny]

"Humans cannot even be placed at the scene,"

...becasue we all know that indigenous peoples lived in complete harmony with Mother Gaia before the coming of the evil white man yadda yadda yadda. There's hardly any kind of science or scholarship that hasn't been infected with ideology.

[ReagansShinyHair]

My college professors told me that man killed the giant prehistoric beasts.

I went to a state college, not Bob Jones or anything.

[A Texan]

Chances are it is a mixture of Man killing out the mega-fauna, a drastic change in climate or weather conditions, and a few other factors. Climate change does happen. The world is constantly changing, and if a 1,000 lb animal with the brain the size of a peach you are pretty much screwed. Man assuredly wiped out quite a few of the large species for food or defense but most mega-fauna disappeared over a relatively short time period and I think people would be hard pressed to blame that all on Man.

[decimon]

Chances are it is a mixture of Man killing out the mega-fauna, a drastic change in climate or weather conditions, and a few other factors.

Makes sense to me. Nothing exists in isolation.

[Larry Lucido]

Good thing too, otherwise we would be overrun with prehistoric giant animals.

[Grut]

"There's good eating on one of those" - Terry Pratchett, Small Gods

[decimon]

...otherwise we would be overrun with prehistoric giant animals.

South Ossetia.

[weegee]

Bush’s fault. He’s such a caveman. < /s >