Posted on 05/30/2005 5:38:51 PM PDT by blam
Man 'not to blame' for extinction of giant wombat
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
(Filed: 31/05/2005)
Humans may have been unjustly accused of wiping out the giant kangaroos, wombats and other massive marsupials that roamed Australia 40,000 years ago, new research suggests.
One study by British and Australian scientists reveals today that humans co-existed with megafauna - large native animals such as the Diprotodon, a three-ton, wombat-like creature, a ferocious, marsupial "lion" and the world's all-time biggest lizard - for at least 15,000 years.
Another, by a Queensland team, suggests it was climate change, rather than early Australian aborigines, that killed off the "megafauna".
Large animals suffered extinctions on all continents except Africa and Antarctica between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago. The cause has been hotly debated.
Experts have been divided over the fate of megafauna in Australia, which evolved in isolation for millions of years to give rise to the giant marsupials. Many have pointed the finger of blame at early humans.
But in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team led by Clive Trueman, of the University of Portsmouth, and Judith Field, of the University of Sydney, used new chemical tests to establish that at least some Australian megafauna, including the largest animals, persisted until 30,000 years ago, co-existing with humans for at least 15,000 years.
By 30,000 years ago the world was in the grip of a major Ice Age. "While these findings do not free humans of all blame for the extinctions, they demonstrate that extinction was a gradual process, strongly implicating climate change as the driving mechanism," said Ms Field.
Another study, reported in the journal Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, provides additional support with an analysis of a fossil-rich creek bed in the Darling Downs region of south-east Queensland.
Scientists from Queensland University of Technology and Queensland Museum uncovered the remains of 44 species, both small and large. The investigation showed that by the time of the megafauna extinction, many smaller species - those dependent on a wetter environment - had also disappeared.
The findings suggest cooler, drier conditions that arose in Australia between 50,000 and 20,000 years ago had a major impact on wildlife.
The dig failed to unearth evidence of human activity, indicating that people did not inhabit the region at the same time as megafauna.
I am sorry. There is no statute of limitations on murder. Now, where were you Tuesday night, 30,000 years ago?
Are you sure? I heard it was Bush's fault.
More confirmation of what we've long believed. Megafauna have mega-appetites and need more food than smaller (and smarter omniverous) critters like us. Climate affects food sources for grass-eaters and their predators. The fact that animals roughly 250 pounds and under survived and the mega-beasts didn't supports the new theory IMO.
Finally someone said it, I thought for a second I would have to.
SUV's were.
What, the wombat or the girl?
They must have left two. One couldn't have mated. (Unless she lied through her teeth like my first wife.)
Whew! One less thing to feel guilty about.
Thylacoleo Fossil Find
3 July 2003
Every palaeontologist dreams of the big one..the find of a century that one that will define their life forever...
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s888112.htm
"The dry cave had kept the half a million year old skeleton as bones not fossils. Bones so fragile that if they were picked up before being treated with glue, (they) would fall to dust in your hands."
LOL! It just lay there for 500,000 years...
Tastes like chicken dust. ;')
"Could you imagine running from one of those?"
When being chased by *any* predator; you only have to run faster than the guy behind you....:)
http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/exhibitions/online/thylacoleo/intro.asp
I knew you'd come through. :')
Bump.
That would be the Treadwell Culture, named after a recent individual (Timothy Treadwell) who thought inviting bears to dinner would not result in the host being the main course.
Man 'not to blame' for extinction of giant wombat
Yup. Ate him and his girlfriend. Incidently, the 'meal' was caught on audio tape. The tape was given to his mother.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.