#megafauna — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #megafauna, aggregated by home.social.
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🧿 𝑬𝒍 𝒈𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒚𝒂 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒂 𝑵𝒖𝒆𝒗𝒂 𝒁𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 🧿
El moa es una de esas historias que cuesta creer hasta que ves sus huesos de cerca.
Durante miles de años, estas aves enormes dominaron los paisajes de Nueva Zelanda, caminando tranquilas por bosques y llanuras como si el mundo fuera suyo.No volaban.
No necesitaban hacerlo.
Había especies pequeñas, pero otras eran auténticos gigantes: algunas superaban los 3 metros de altura con el cuello estirado y podían pesar más de 200 kilos.
En un ecosistema sin mamíferos terrestres grandes, los moa ocuparon ese espacio sin competencia real.Su único gran enemigo natural era el águila de Haast, una rapaz colosal capaz de cazarlos en pleno vuelo de ataque desde el bosque.
Era una escena brutal pero equilibrada: depredador y presa creciendo juntos durante miles de años.Todo cambió cuando llegaron los primeros humanos polinesios a Nueva Zelanda hacia el siglo XIII.
El moa no había evolucionado frente a cazadores inteligentes, rápidos y organizados.
Era grande, sí, pero vulnerable: ponía pocos huevos, se reproducía lentamente y no tenía defensas reales contra una caza constante.En apenas unos siglos desapareció.
No fue una caída lenta, sino un derrumbe rápido.
Caza intensiva, incendios para abrir terreno y la llegada de especies como perros y ratas hicieron el resto.
El resultado fue devastador: nueve especies de moa desaparecieron por completo.Lo curioso es que durante el siglo XIX, cuando los europeos empezaron a excavar, aparecieron restos tan bien conservados que parecía que el animal había muerto hacía poco: huesos completos, plumas, incluso tejidos con piel y escamas.
Era como si el tiempo se hubiera detenido en cuevas frías de Nueva Zelanda.Y aún hoy sigue siendo un tema delicado.
Se ha hablado de “revivirlo” mediante genética, pero la mayoría de científicos es muy cauta.
No sería traer de vuelta al mismo animal, sino crear algo nuevo en un mundo que ya no es el suyo.El moa no desapareció por una catástrofe natural imposible de evitar.
Desapareció en silencio, en pocos siglos, en un lugar aislado donde la vida había seguido su propio ritmo durante millones de años.Y quizá esa es la parte más incómoda de su historia: no parece tan lejana.
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#moa #nuevazelanda #extincion #historia #megafauna #avesprehistoricas #faunaextinta #prehistoria #curiosidadeshistoricas #historiadelnatural #evolucion #animalesextintos
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Are Colorado Moose Invasive? New Research Says NO
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https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2026/06/18/are-colorado-moose-invasive-new-research-says-no <-- shared technical article
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https://youtu.be/orpLT22YnKQ?si=aThWWjMhKOUELwuv <-- shared overview video
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https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70279 <-- shared paper
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“The modern Colorado moose is often considered just that: modern - brought to the state by wildlife officials in the late 1970s, preceded by very occasional reports of moose sightings in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since being translocated to Colorado, these charismatic megafauna have been a source of both fascination and concern. In Rocky Mountain National Park [RMNP], where moose populations have thrived, ecosystems have been changing, and moose-associated impacts have sparked renewed conversations about managing an animal labeled “non-native.”
However, newly published research [link above] by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, archivists and Tribal cultural heritage leaders shows that the “non-native” label is inaccurate. They present evidence demonstrating that moose have been in Colorado for at least centuries and likely longer.
The researchers analyzed newspaper archives, archaeological site reports, scientific journals, museum collections and photo archives to understand where and when moose were present in Colorado prior to the mid-1900s. Perhaps most importantly, notes lead author William Taylor, a University of Colorado Boulder associate professor of anthropology and CU Museum curator of archaeology, the scholars sought Indigenous histories, and in doing so found evidence of moose being well known and deeply integrated into traditional knowledge of Native people in the southern Rockies.
Crystal C’Bearing, a study co-author and Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, notes that among the Northern Arapaho, "the moose is considered a valued commodity among the Tribe.” She adds that societies within the Northern Arapaho "utilize many animals, including moose, in their clothing, society items and regalia. This tradition continues today."
The scholarly approach of joining Indigenous knowledge with historical accounts, archaeology and paleontology, "shows the power of multiple independent lines of evidence converging on the conclusion that moose were part of southern Rocky Mountain ecosystems long before modern reintroductions," says study co-author Jonathan Dombrosky of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and the University of Alabama. "More broadly, the study demonstrates how historical sciences can help us better understand the origins of modern ecosystems and make more informed decisions about their future…"
#moose #populations #Colorado #USA #native #invasive #introduced #nonnative #translocated #megafauna #herbivore #ungulate #impacts #ecosystems #environment #vegetation #native #indigenous #tribal #FirstNation #archaeology #paleontology #symbology #reporting #historicalscience #history #RockyMountain #Rockies #regional #prehistory #Holocene #biogeography #archaeozoological #modern #premodern #management #archivists -
Are Colorado Moose Invasive? New Research Says NO
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https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2026/06/18/are-colorado-moose-invasive-new-research-says-no <-- shared technical article
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https://youtu.be/orpLT22YnKQ?si=aThWWjMhKOUELwuv <-- shared overview video
--
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70279 <-- shared paper
--
“The modern Colorado moose is often considered just that: modern - brought to the state by wildlife officials in the late 1970s, preceded by very occasional reports of moose sightings in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since being translocated to Colorado, these charismatic megafauna have been a source of both fascination and concern. In Rocky Mountain National Park [RMNP], where moose populations have thrived, ecosystems have been changing, and moose-associated impacts have sparked renewed conversations about managing an animal labeled “non-native.”
However, newly published research [link above] by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, archivists and Tribal cultural heritage leaders shows that the “non-native” label is inaccurate. They present evidence demonstrating that moose have been in Colorado for at least centuries and likely longer.
The researchers analyzed newspaper archives, archaeological site reports, scientific journals, museum collections and photo archives to understand where and when moose were present in Colorado prior to the mid-1900s. Perhaps most importantly, notes lead author William Taylor, a University of Colorado Boulder associate professor of anthropology and CU Museum curator of archaeology, the scholars sought Indigenous histories, and in doing so found evidence of moose being well known and deeply integrated into traditional knowledge of Native people in the southern Rockies.
Crystal C’Bearing, a study co-author and Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, notes that among the Northern Arapaho, "the moose is considered a valued commodity among the Tribe.” She adds that societies within the Northern Arapaho "utilize many animals, including moose, in their clothing, society items and regalia. This tradition continues today."
The scholarly approach of joining Indigenous knowledge with historical accounts, archaeology and paleontology, "shows the power of multiple independent lines of evidence converging on the conclusion that moose were part of southern Rocky Mountain ecosystems long before modern reintroductions," says study co-author Jonathan Dombrosky of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and the University of Alabama. "More broadly, the study demonstrates how historical sciences can help us better understand the origins of modern ecosystems and make more informed decisions about their future…"
#moose #populations #Colorado #USA #native #invasive #introduced #nonnative #translocated #megafauna #herbivore #ungulate #impacts #ecosystems #environment #vegetation #native #indigenous #tribal #FirstNation #archaeology #paleontology #symbology #reporting #historicalscience #history #RockyMountain #Rockies #regional #prehistory #Holocene #biogeography #archaeozoological #modern #premodern #management #archivists -
Are Colorado Moose Invasive? New Research Says NO
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https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2026/06/18/are-colorado-moose-invasive-new-research-says-no <-- shared technical article
--
https://youtu.be/orpLT22YnKQ?si=aThWWjMhKOUELwuv <-- shared overview video
--
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70279 <-- shared paper
--
“The modern Colorado moose is often considered just that: modern - brought to the state by wildlife officials in the late 1970s, preceded by very occasional reports of moose sightings in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since being translocated to Colorado, these charismatic megafauna have been a source of both fascination and concern. In Rocky Mountain National Park [RMNP], where moose populations have thrived, ecosystems have been changing, and moose-associated impacts have sparked renewed conversations about managing an animal labeled “non-native.”
However, newly published research [link above] by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, archivists and Tribal cultural heritage leaders shows that the “non-native” label is inaccurate. They present evidence demonstrating that moose have been in Colorado for at least centuries and likely longer.
The researchers analyzed newspaper archives, archaeological site reports, scientific journals, museum collections and photo archives to understand where and when moose were present in Colorado prior to the mid-1900s. Perhaps most importantly, notes lead author William Taylor, a University of Colorado Boulder associate professor of anthropology and CU Museum curator of archaeology, the scholars sought Indigenous histories, and in doing so found evidence of moose being well known and deeply integrated into traditional knowledge of Native people in the southern Rockies.
Crystal C’Bearing, a study co-author and Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, notes that among the Northern Arapaho, "the moose is considered a valued commodity among the Tribe.” She adds that societies within the Northern Arapaho "utilize many animals, including moose, in their clothing, society items and regalia. This tradition continues today."
The scholarly approach of joining Indigenous knowledge with historical accounts, archaeology and paleontology, "shows the power of multiple independent lines of evidence converging on the conclusion that moose were part of southern Rocky Mountain ecosystems long before modern reintroductions," says study co-author Jonathan Dombrosky of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and the University of Alabama. "More broadly, the study demonstrates how historical sciences can help us better understand the origins of modern ecosystems and make more informed decisions about their future…"
#moose #populations #Colorado #USA #native #invasive #introduced #nonnative #translocated #megafauna #herbivore #ungulate #impacts #ecosystems #environment #vegetation #native #indigenous #tribal #FirstNation #archaeology #paleontology #symbology #reporting #historicalscience #history #RockyMountain #Rockies #regional #prehistory #Holocene #biogeography #archaeozoological #modern #premodern #management #archivists -
Are Colorado Moose Invasive? New Research Says NO
--
https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2026/06/18/are-colorado-moose-invasive-new-research-says-no <-- shared technical article
--
https://youtu.be/orpLT22YnKQ?si=aThWWjMhKOUELwuv <-- shared overview video
--
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70279 <-- shared paper
--
“The modern Colorado moose is often considered just that: modern - brought to the state by wildlife officials in the late 1970s, preceded by very occasional reports of moose sightings in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since being translocated to Colorado, these charismatic megafauna have been a source of both fascination and concern. In Rocky Mountain National Park [RMNP], where moose populations have thrived, ecosystems have been changing, and moose-associated impacts have sparked renewed conversations about managing an animal labeled “non-native.”
However, newly published research [link above] by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, archivists and Tribal cultural heritage leaders shows that the “non-native” label is inaccurate. They present evidence demonstrating that moose have been in Colorado for at least centuries and likely longer.
The researchers analyzed newspaper archives, archaeological site reports, scientific journals, museum collections and photo archives to understand where and when moose were present in Colorado prior to the mid-1900s. Perhaps most importantly, notes lead author William Taylor, a University of Colorado Boulder associate professor of anthropology and CU Museum curator of archaeology, the scholars sought Indigenous histories, and in doing so found evidence of moose being well known and deeply integrated into traditional knowledge of Native people in the southern Rockies.
Crystal C’Bearing, a study co-author and Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, notes that among the Northern Arapaho, "the moose is considered a valued commodity among the Tribe.” She adds that societies within the Northern Arapaho "utilize many animals, including moose, in their clothing, society items and regalia. This tradition continues today."
The scholarly approach of joining Indigenous knowledge with historical accounts, archaeology and paleontology, "shows the power of multiple independent lines of evidence converging on the conclusion that moose were part of southern Rocky Mountain ecosystems long before modern reintroductions," says study co-author Jonathan Dombrosky of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and the University of Alabama. "More broadly, the study demonstrates how historical sciences can help us better understand the origins of modern ecosystems and make more informed decisions about their future…"
#moose #populations #Colorado #USA #native #invasive #introduced #nonnative #translocated #megafauna #herbivore #ungulate #impacts #ecosystems #environment #vegetation #native #indigenous #tribal #FirstNation #archaeology #paleontology #symbology #reporting #historicalscience #history #RockyMountain #Rockies #regional #prehistory #Holocene #biogeography #archaeozoological #modern #premodern #management #archivists -
Are Colorado Moose Invasive? New Research Says NO
--
https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2026/06/18/are-colorado-moose-invasive-new-research-says-no <-- shared technical article
--
https://youtu.be/orpLT22YnKQ?si=aThWWjMhKOUELwuv <-- shared overview video
--
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70279 <-- shared paper
--
“The modern Colorado moose is often considered just that: modern - brought to the state by wildlife officials in the late 1970s, preceded by very occasional reports of moose sightings in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since being translocated to Colorado, these charismatic megafauna have been a source of both fascination and concern. In Rocky Mountain National Park [RMNP], where moose populations have thrived, ecosystems have been changing, and moose-associated impacts have sparked renewed conversations about managing an animal labeled “non-native.”
However, newly published research [link above] by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, archivists and Tribal cultural heritage leaders shows that the “non-native” label is inaccurate. They present evidence demonstrating that moose have been in Colorado for at least centuries and likely longer.
The researchers analyzed newspaper archives, archaeological site reports, scientific journals, museum collections and photo archives to understand where and when moose were present in Colorado prior to the mid-1900s. Perhaps most importantly, notes lead author William Taylor, a University of Colorado Boulder associate professor of anthropology and CU Museum curator of archaeology, the scholars sought Indigenous histories, and in doing so found evidence of moose being well known and deeply integrated into traditional knowledge of Native people in the southern Rockies.
Crystal C’Bearing, a study co-author and Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, notes that among the Northern Arapaho, "the moose is considered a valued commodity among the Tribe.” She adds that societies within the Northern Arapaho "utilize many animals, including moose, in their clothing, society items and regalia. This tradition continues today."
The scholarly approach of joining Indigenous knowledge with historical accounts, archaeology and paleontology, "shows the power of multiple independent lines of evidence converging on the conclusion that moose were part of southern Rocky Mountain ecosystems long before modern reintroductions," says study co-author Jonathan Dombrosky of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and the University of Alabama. "More broadly, the study demonstrates how historical sciences can help us better understand the origins of modern ecosystems and make more informed decisions about their future…"
#moose #populations #Colorado #USA #native #invasive #introduced #nonnative #translocated #megafauna #herbivore #ungulate #impacts #ecosystems #environment #vegetation #native #indigenous #tribal #FirstNation #archaeology #paleontology #symbology #reporting #historicalscience #history #RockyMountain #Rockies #regional #prehistory #Holocene #biogeography #archaeozoological #modern #premodern #management #archivists -
New evidence that an extraterrestrial collision 12,800 years ago triggered an abrupt #ClimateChange for Earth
Published: October 22, 2019
"What kicked off the Earth’s rapid cooling 12,800 years ago?
"In the space of just a couple of years, average temperatures abruptly dropped, resulting in temperatures as much as 14 degrees Fahrenheit cooler in some regions of the Northern Hemisphere. If a drop like that happened today, it would mean the average temperature of Miami Beach would quickly change to that of current Montreal, Canada. Layers of ice in Greenland show that this cool period in the Northern Hemisphere lasted about 1,400 years.
"This climate event, called the #YoungerDryas by scientists, marked the beginning of a decline in #IceAge #megafauna, such as #mammoth and #mastodon, eventually leading to #extinction of more than 35 genera of animals across North America. Although disputed, some research suggests that Younger Dryas #environmental changes led to a population decline among the #NativeAmericans known for their distinctive #Clovis spear points.
"Conventional geologic wisdom blames the Younger Dryas on the failure of glacial ice dams holding back huge lakes in central North America and the sudden, massive blast of freshwater they released into the north Atlantic. This freshwater influx shut down #OceanCirculation and ended up cooling the climate.
"Some geologists, however, subscribe to what is called the impact hypothesis: the idea that a fragmented #comet or #asteroid collided with the Earth 12,800 years ago and caused this abrupt climate event. Along with disrupting the glacial ice-sheet and shutting down ocean currents, this hypothesis holds that the extraterrestrial impact also triggered an 'impact winter' by setting off massive #wildfires that blocked sunlight with their smoke.
"The evidence is mounting that the cause of the Younger Dryas’ cooling climate came from outer space. My own recent fieldwork at a South Carolina lake that has been around for at least 20,000 years adds to the growing pile of evidence.
"In the White Pond samples, we did indeed find high levels of platinum. The sediments also had an unusual ratio of platinum to palladium.
"Both of these rare earth elements occur naturally in very small quantities. The fact that there was so much more platinum than palladium suggests that the extra platinum came from an outside source, such as atmospheric fallout in the aftermath of an extraterrestrial impact.
"My team also found a large increase in soot, indicative of large-scale regional wildfires. Additionally, the amount of fungal spores that are usually associated with the dung of large herbivores decreased in this layer compared to previous time periods, suggesting a sudden decline in ice-age megafauna in the region at this time."