The demise of Ice-Age megafauna at the end of the last Ice-Age coincides with the geologically recent warming trend that put the finishing touches on the familiar coastlines and climate we enjoy today. But another contributing factor to some large animals going the way of the Do-do is called Overkill. The idea is that anatomically modern humans expanded across the globe rapidly beginning about 50,000 years ago, thanks in part to developing technology so effective that even one or two hunters could reliably bring down any animal no matter how huge and aggressive it was. But there were a few species that made it through the bottleneck, including some of the most spectacular. Like rhinos and elephants.
Sadly, we all know they now face a new threat from their old enemies. But if you think this is just a cause for concern among those of us who care about the environment and innocent creatures in mankind’s crosshairs, think again. Because this time around, they’re not being slaughtered in the name of basic survival with stone age tools, they’re being systematically hunted right over the precipice of extinction by well-armed thugs intent on wreaking havoc on equally innocent men, women, and children all over the planet. [Read more…]
