User:Isabella-knott/Pleistocene megafauna

Article Draft
Africa

Background and scope

While North America was most notably impacted by the Pleistocene Megafaunal extinction, Eurasia, Africa and the Insular regions were also affected and experienced extinction towards the end of the Pleistocene period. Megafaunal losses are poorly understood on continental Africa during both the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene periods. During the late Pleistocene and early Holocene period, an estimated breadth of 24 large mammal species, of greater than 45 kg, the technical definition of megafauna, were lost from continental Africa. These losses are best understood to have occurred between 6,000 and 13,000 years ago. The species of megafauna which were lost in continental Africa are best understood to have been grazers who lived on grasslands. However, other sources report that over 27 species were lost in the last million years. Sources vary in the breadth of the issue, however it is clear that significant biodiversity loss occurred in Africa. The prominent theory of human hunting the megafauna, leading to their extinction, also is suspected to be at play towards the demise of the at least 27 species of megafauna that were lost in continental Africa.