Bunnies implicated in the demise of Neanderthals

new scientist ^ | 18:10 01 March 2013 by | Sara Reardon

[BenLurkin]

Now, John Fa of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Trinity, Jersey, says Neanderthals eventually bit the dust because they were unable to adapt their hunting to small animals like rabbits.

Fa and his colleagues counted up the skeletons of animals found in three excavation sites in Spain and southern France. Up until 30,000 years ago, the remains of large animals such as deer were abundant in caves. But around that time, coinciding with the disappearance of Neanderthals, rabbit remains became more prevalent. The authors postulate that humans were more successful at switching to catching and eating rabbits.

It's not clear why Neanderthals would have had more trouble changing prey, says Fa. They may have been less able to cooperate. Rather than using spears, early humans probably surrounded a warren and flushed out rabbits with fire, smoke or dogs. But Bruce Hardy of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, says Fa takes the interpretation too far. Humans may have eaten more rabbits than Neanderthals, but neither would have exclusively eaten meat, he says.

The question might be settled by what Fa says is his next project: studying the isotopes in the bones of hominins from this region, which may differ according to what they ate.

[Adams]

[Darksheare]

No comment from me ping.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

[skinkinthegrass]

does anyone have the "Killer bunny skit" from Monty Python's Holy Grail

[KarlInOhio]

Neanderthal rabbits were considerably more hearty than their modern day cousins.

[skinkinthegrass]

Monty Python-Killer Rabbit - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmu5sRIizdw

[skinkinthegrass]

thanks, for the post.
science ping!

[a fool in paradise]

[a fool in paradise]

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Humans may have eaten more rabbits than Neanderthals”

Wonder what a Neanderthal tastes like.

[Gaffer]

Them bunnies be some vicisous bastards they are.

[Puppage]

[dfwgator]

I *warned* you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you *knew*, didn’t you? Oh, it’s just a harmless little *bunny*, isn’t it?

[RPTMS]

Run away! Run away!

[bgill]

Ancestors of Jimmah Carter?

[FroggyTheGremlim]

Bunnies

[gundog]

Thus endeth the great “Duck season!/ Wabbit season!” debate.

[OKRA2012]

And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall

[dmz]

Too busy looking at the centerfolds to hunt and gather?