What do you think?
Rate this book
Once & Future Giants: What Ice Age Extinctions Tell Us About the Fate of Earth's Largest Animals
Until about 13,000 years ago, North America was home to a menagerie of massive mammals. Mammoths, camels, and lions walked the ground that has become Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles and foraged on the marsh land now buried beneath Chicago's streets. Then, just as the first humans reached the Americas, these Ice Age giants vanished forever. In Once and Future Giants, science writer Sharon Levy digs through the evidence surrounding Pleistocene large animal ("megafauna") extinction events worldwide, showing that understanding this history--and our part in it--is crucial for protecting the elephants, polar bears, and other great creatures at risk today. These surviving relatives of the Ice Age beasts now face an intensified replay of that great die-off, as our species usurps the planet's last wild places while driving a warming trend more extreme than any in mammalian history. Inspired by a passion for the lost Pleistocene giants, some scientists advocate bringing elephants and cheetahs to the Great Plains as stand-ins for their extinct native brethren. By reintroducing big browsers and carnivores to North America, they argue, we could rescue some of the planet's most endangered animals while restoring healthy prairie ecosystems. Critics, including biologists enmeshed in the struggle to restore native species like the gray wolf and the bison, see the proposal as a dangerous distraction from more realistic and legitimate conservation efforts. Deftly navigating competing theories and emerging evidence, Once and Future Giants examines the extent of human influence on megafauna extinctions past and present, and explores innovative conservation efforts around the globe. The key to modern-day conservation, Levy suggests, may lie fossilized right under our feet.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published February 17, 2011
14 people are currently reading
880 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 24, 2016
Once and Future Giants, a fascinating read by Sharon Levy, deals with the extinct megafauna from the Pleistocene Ice Age. The first portion of the book deals with the Clovis people, and is by far the roughest portion of the book stylistically. While it holds a great deal of content, it is almost too much and jumps around sporadically. With a bit of editing, this part would have been as good as the rest of the book. The real gems lie in back with the examples of Pleistocene rewilding, the idea of placing an animal in an area where a similar species has gone extinct. Her examples range from Australia, to small islands, and even to America. Each place has struggled since their dominant megafauna died out, and the land overrun with smaller species of both plants and animals, choking up the land and causing havoc on the ecosystem. This is most apparent in Australia with their hardy plant species.
While Levy discusses the grand ideas of placing elephants to areas where mammoths roamed, or other grandiose examples, she admits that they are extremely impractical at the current time and the best ideas are with small animals like the tortoise that help trees spread and bring back other fauna naturally. They are less of a danger to people as well as a way of guiding in the rewilding efforts. Since I had never heard of the topic before, this book was an incredibly interesting read. Beyond the first portion, it brings in the reader quite easily and sketches out the concepts in easily grasped vocabulary.
I would highly recommend it to anyone curious about how our ecosystems used to be and how they could once again return to that state with the smallest bit of work.
While Levy discusses the grand ideas of placing elephants to areas where mammoths roamed, or other grandiose examples, she admits that they are extremely impractical at the current time and the best ideas are with small animals like the tortoise that help trees spread and bring back other fauna naturally. They are less of a danger to people as well as a way of guiding in the rewilding efforts. Since I had never heard of the topic before, this book was an incredibly interesting read. Beyond the first portion, it brings in the reader quite easily and sketches out the concepts in easily grasped vocabulary.
I would highly recommend it to anyone curious about how our ecosystems used to be and how they could once again return to that state with the smallest bit of work.
March 23, 2012
Began reading "Once and Future Giants" by Sharon Levy. In 255 pages it shed light on where we came from and the animals that have trod alongside man across the face of the globe.
It told the story of where we and our animals companions came from and the fate that accompanies imbalance in ecosystems. From the break up of Gondwanaland 45 million years ago to the end of the Pleistocene (and the dawn of man in the Halocene), this book is gives you an understanding of what has been my personal philosophy: that EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IS RELATED. A delicate balance of symbiosis exists that, if disturbed or disrupted, has dire consequences to humans and their animal companions.The book is about extinctions of "megafauna" (huge animals) 13,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age.
Hopefully we can learn from this... And prevent a replay of losing species to oblivion. Think about this: mammoths once strolled through Manhattan and strolled along the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago.
Previously prevailing scientific opinion held that these animals died as a result of warming and retreating glaciers. But this conveniently ignored the fact that they had survived other periods of interglacial warm periods.
Evidence has come to light that demonstrates that the megafauna succumbed due to human activities.
The early North American Clovis people appeared on the stage and mammoths, camels, horse, lion, saber-toothed cat, and dire wolf exited stage left for good.
On a dig in southeastern New York (Orange County), a change in the microfossil record-Sporormiella, found in the dung of herbivores (Mastodons) vanished. Immediately above this was the first appearance of a charcoal layer-the remnants of Clovis people's fires.
If a climate change was responsible, a correlating change in plants of that era would have been found. No such change was found, so the plants did not change due to climate change eradicating the mastodon. It was human activities.
In Rampart Cave near Tucson, a 10,000 year old dung ball of a sloth was found. When analyzed, it contained remnants of globe mallow, and ephedra pollen from Cholla cactus- plants still extant in the area. This disproved the prevailing thought that climatic change killed off megafauna like the sloth. If the climate changed so radically as to be unable to support the animal, wouldn't the plants the animal ate also have gone through radical change? Further, there us evidence that the sloth adapted and ate cooler ranged plants like sage brush and juniper during colder periods.
Livestock domestication came from Western Asia 10,000 years ago marking the end of the hunter-gathering lifestyle and the beginning of man’s intractable boot print on ecosystems.
Extinctions on islands are particularly note worthy. One archeologist called it "island blitzkrieg". Paul Martin proved what Alfred Russell Wallace (co-founder with Darwin of evolution) suspected: that humans, as alpha or apex predators begin to systematically decimate and displace other predators and alter the landscape ruining ecosystems.
Charles Darwin observed a small boy kill hundreds of finches by whacking them with a stick as they came near him.
The German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Stellar noted Russian sailors stranded on Bering Island in 1741 systematically killing sea cows. 300 years later no more sea cows.
On Vanuatu (island in Southwestern Pacific), people arrived 3,000 years ago. A massive spiked headed turtle vanished forever 300 years later.
1,000 years ago Polynesians landing on Hawaii eradicated flightless geese.
Maori ancestors coming to New Zealand killed off 160,000 ostrich like moas in less than 100 years.
People arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago and met a 9 foot tall kangaroo, a marsupial lion, and a wombat as big as a hippo. These animals vanished soon after.
When humans migrated to Madagascar (from Malaysia) 2,000 years ago it was the beginning of the end for the giant lemurs, Pygmy hippos, and elephant birds. All these were completely dispatched 1,500 years after humans arrived.
The last Wooly mammoth died 4,000 years ago on Wrangell Island, when humans came to the island. Meanwhile over in Egypt, the Pharaohs were building the pyramids.
In the mid 1600's, Dutch seafarers came to the Island of Mauritius. By the close of the 1700's, the Dodo was extinct.
The time spam varies for extinctions to be complete once humans come in the scene. It can be as little as 200 years-1,500 years. But one fact is indisputable: the clock starts ticking once humans arrive.
The author devoted a lot of space in the book about re-introducing the wolf back into Yellowstone in 1995. In a microcosm this illustrates the predator-prey delicate balance.
When an apex predator, such as the wolf, disappears, herbivores increase in numbers. Since herbivores eat leaves and trees, trees do not get a chance to grow to full height. Smaller predators take the larger predator's place and ecosystems crash and become impoverished.
In the hills of Southern California, the coyote was displaced as housing spread up the hills. Cats took the predator niche that coyotes vacated. The result? Several extinctions of bird species.
Another example came from Selkirk-the area where Washington State, Idaho, and British Columbia meet. Mule deer were disappearing. Hunting of cougars was encouraged. Modern human hunters prefer to bag the largest animal-typically an older male.
Older males kept the younger make cougars in check so the younger cougars did not eat baby cougars. Females with cubs will not mate. No cubs? She will mate. With no older alpha males to prevent the infanticide, mother cougars went higher up into the mountains... And ate the mule deer everyone was trying to protect.
Re-wilding is a concept that is being done on small pockets of land here and there. Re-wilding seeks to re-introduce animals that have vanished like re-introducing the grey wolf back into Yellowstone or the California Condor back to the coast. However, there are ideas to re-introduce analogs of vanished megafauna that disappeared at the end of the Pleistocene (13,000 years ago). Ideas that have been bandied about include transplanting African Lions to the American Southwest. An idea that, as you can imagine, has not been universally embraced.
In what can only be described as a "Jurassic Park" moment, the mitochondrial DNA of the Wooly Mammoth has been decoded and mapped. The DNA code analysts working on the project found that all woolly mammoths came from two large groups of animals. One group perished. This gave rise to two schools of thought: that genetic homogeny can lead to weakening of animals and can contribute to animals becoming extinct through climate change and man's impact on the animal's territory.
The other school of thought was to resurrect and reconstruct the wooly mammoth from its genetic map. There have been attempts to bio engineer modern cattle back to its ancient forbearer, Aurochs (the last one died in 1627). Attempts have also been made to change mice into different animals. Island if Dr. Moreau anyone? Perhaps this is the modern form of ALCHEMY. Armed with pipettes, petri dishes and genetic maps, the modern alchemist will turn modern cats into saber tooth cats instead of lead into gold.
I cannot help but to conclude with something about global warming...there are still blind idiots that don't believe it is happening. Perhaps they should pay a visit to the Arctic.
They might, just might be able to see how the polar bear (evolved from the brown bear 300,000 years ago) is starving due to thin or non existent sea ice that is imperative to hunt seal. And just might realize that ice cannot form in warmer weather.
Polar bears and caribou are as far north as they can get. It is interesting to note that caribou were once as far south as Mississippi.
Or perhaps they might notice that Caribou are suffering because the new spring growth rich in nutrients they eat as they begin their migration now comes 2-3 weeks earlier. Their migration is synched with the length of the day, and not by the appearance of the new growth. The older growth they are now forced to accept is not as rich in nutrients and does not support their migration.
By the way, are you lactose intolerant? If you are, your deep ancestry says that you did not come from a group of humans who domesticated cattle in Eurasia, Africa or the Fertile Crescent.
There was also another group of humans who Independently adapted to being able to drink milk all through out their life from Africa and Europe. you didn't come from these groups, either.
A must read. But, alas, I think only members of the choir are likely to read this.
It told the story of where we and our animals companions came from and the fate that accompanies imbalance in ecosystems. From the break up of Gondwanaland 45 million years ago to the end of the Pleistocene (and the dawn of man in the Halocene), this book is gives you an understanding of what has been my personal philosophy: that EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IS RELATED. A delicate balance of symbiosis exists that, if disturbed or disrupted, has dire consequences to humans and their animal companions.The book is about extinctions of "megafauna" (huge animals) 13,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age.
Hopefully we can learn from this... And prevent a replay of losing species to oblivion. Think about this: mammoths once strolled through Manhattan and strolled along the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago.
Previously prevailing scientific opinion held that these animals died as a result of warming and retreating glaciers. But this conveniently ignored the fact that they had survived other periods of interglacial warm periods.
Evidence has come to light that demonstrates that the megafauna succumbed due to human activities.
The early North American Clovis people appeared on the stage and mammoths, camels, horse, lion, saber-toothed cat, and dire wolf exited stage left for good.
On a dig in southeastern New York (Orange County), a change in the microfossil record-Sporormiella, found in the dung of herbivores (Mastodons) vanished. Immediately above this was the first appearance of a charcoal layer-the remnants of Clovis people's fires.
If a climate change was responsible, a correlating change in plants of that era would have been found. No such change was found, so the plants did not change due to climate change eradicating the mastodon. It was human activities.
In Rampart Cave near Tucson, a 10,000 year old dung ball of a sloth was found. When analyzed, it contained remnants of globe mallow, and ephedra pollen from Cholla cactus- plants still extant in the area. This disproved the prevailing thought that climatic change killed off megafauna like the sloth. If the climate changed so radically as to be unable to support the animal, wouldn't the plants the animal ate also have gone through radical change? Further, there us evidence that the sloth adapted and ate cooler ranged plants like sage brush and juniper during colder periods.
Livestock domestication came from Western Asia 10,000 years ago marking the end of the hunter-gathering lifestyle and the beginning of man’s intractable boot print on ecosystems.
Extinctions on islands are particularly note worthy. One archeologist called it "island blitzkrieg". Paul Martin proved what Alfred Russell Wallace (co-founder with Darwin of evolution) suspected: that humans, as alpha or apex predators begin to systematically decimate and displace other predators and alter the landscape ruining ecosystems.
Charles Darwin observed a small boy kill hundreds of finches by whacking them with a stick as they came near him.
The German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Stellar noted Russian sailors stranded on Bering Island in 1741 systematically killing sea cows. 300 years later no more sea cows.
On Vanuatu (island in Southwestern Pacific), people arrived 3,000 years ago. A massive spiked headed turtle vanished forever 300 years later.
1,000 years ago Polynesians landing on Hawaii eradicated flightless geese.
Maori ancestors coming to New Zealand killed off 160,000 ostrich like moas in less than 100 years.
People arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago and met a 9 foot tall kangaroo, a marsupial lion, and a wombat as big as a hippo. These animals vanished soon after.
When humans migrated to Madagascar (from Malaysia) 2,000 years ago it was the beginning of the end for the giant lemurs, Pygmy hippos, and elephant birds. All these were completely dispatched 1,500 years after humans arrived.
The last Wooly mammoth died 4,000 years ago on Wrangell Island, when humans came to the island. Meanwhile over in Egypt, the Pharaohs were building the pyramids.
In the mid 1600's, Dutch seafarers came to the Island of Mauritius. By the close of the 1700's, the Dodo was extinct.
The time spam varies for extinctions to be complete once humans come in the scene. It can be as little as 200 years-1,500 years. But one fact is indisputable: the clock starts ticking once humans arrive.
The author devoted a lot of space in the book about re-introducing the wolf back into Yellowstone in 1995. In a microcosm this illustrates the predator-prey delicate balance.
When an apex predator, such as the wolf, disappears, herbivores increase in numbers. Since herbivores eat leaves and trees, trees do not get a chance to grow to full height. Smaller predators take the larger predator's place and ecosystems crash and become impoverished.
In the hills of Southern California, the coyote was displaced as housing spread up the hills. Cats took the predator niche that coyotes vacated. The result? Several extinctions of bird species.
Another example came from Selkirk-the area where Washington State, Idaho, and British Columbia meet. Mule deer were disappearing. Hunting of cougars was encouraged. Modern human hunters prefer to bag the largest animal-typically an older male.
Older males kept the younger make cougars in check so the younger cougars did not eat baby cougars. Females with cubs will not mate. No cubs? She will mate. With no older alpha males to prevent the infanticide, mother cougars went higher up into the mountains... And ate the mule deer everyone was trying to protect.
Re-wilding is a concept that is being done on small pockets of land here and there. Re-wilding seeks to re-introduce animals that have vanished like re-introducing the grey wolf back into Yellowstone or the California Condor back to the coast. However, there are ideas to re-introduce analogs of vanished megafauna that disappeared at the end of the Pleistocene (13,000 years ago). Ideas that have been bandied about include transplanting African Lions to the American Southwest. An idea that, as you can imagine, has not been universally embraced.
In what can only be described as a "Jurassic Park" moment, the mitochondrial DNA of the Wooly Mammoth has been decoded and mapped. The DNA code analysts working on the project found that all woolly mammoths came from two large groups of animals. One group perished. This gave rise to two schools of thought: that genetic homogeny can lead to weakening of animals and can contribute to animals becoming extinct through climate change and man's impact on the animal's territory.
The other school of thought was to resurrect and reconstruct the wooly mammoth from its genetic map. There have been attempts to bio engineer modern cattle back to its ancient forbearer, Aurochs (the last one died in 1627). Attempts have also been made to change mice into different animals. Island if Dr. Moreau anyone? Perhaps this is the modern form of ALCHEMY. Armed with pipettes, petri dishes and genetic maps, the modern alchemist will turn modern cats into saber tooth cats instead of lead into gold.
I cannot help but to conclude with something about global warming...there are still blind idiots that don't believe it is happening. Perhaps they should pay a visit to the Arctic.
They might, just might be able to see how the polar bear (evolved from the brown bear 300,000 years ago) is starving due to thin or non existent sea ice that is imperative to hunt seal. And just might realize that ice cannot form in warmer weather.
Polar bears and caribou are as far north as they can get. It is interesting to note that caribou were once as far south as Mississippi.
Or perhaps they might notice that Caribou are suffering because the new spring growth rich in nutrients they eat as they begin their migration now comes 2-3 weeks earlier. Their migration is synched with the length of the day, and not by the appearance of the new growth. The older growth they are now forced to accept is not as rich in nutrients and does not support their migration.
By the way, are you lactose intolerant? If you are, your deep ancestry says that you did not come from a group of humans who domesticated cattle in Eurasia, Africa or the Fertile Crescent.
There was also another group of humans who Independently adapted to being able to drink milk all through out their life from Africa and Europe. you didn't come from these groups, either.
A must read. But, alas, I think only members of the choir are likely to read this.
June 29, 2014
Levy uses our fascination with giant beasts from a long gone epoch to introduce the reader to the very real and pressing concerns of today’s imperiled ecosystem. The disappearance of creatures like the mammoth and the giant ground sloth hold important lessons about the role of megafauna and top predators. (And just so you aren’t too fooled by the book’s title, there’s really little chance that extinct creatures can ever be brought back to life and Levy explains that it would probably be a horrible idea in any case.)
North America was once home to quite a few large mammals, the reasons for the disappearance of which is a mater of some debate. Was it a change in climate, the appearance of spear-wielding humans who hunted them to extinction or a combination of the two? Far from being some kind of “human-guilt” book, Levy uses her analysis of this question as a springboard for the larger topic of the fine balance of ecosystems that evolved over the course of millions of years…and what happens when large animals and top predators are removed from the system.
As an example, in the American west, the near elimination of the wolf and mountain lion allowed elk to flourish, making ranchers and game hunters happy but causing a serious disruption to the area’s environment. Dramatically increased elk populations led to overgrazing of native trees upon which other species in the area depended (song birds, for example). Further, the elk population grew sickly. Only when the wolf was re-introduced and elk populations were naturally controlled was a proper balance restored.
Environmentalists are guilty of causing the same sort of unintended consequences. Take the case of their efforts to restore river bank ecology and restore wildflowers and native grassland by removing grazing cattle. Compete removal of the cattle had negative consequences as well. Only through careful trial and error did management experts learn that a balanced approach of keeping cattle roaming, as native bison did, is the best method of preserving these lands.
These are but two examples of how the “common wisdom” of the average Joe is completely inadequate to the task of effective environmental management. Ecological systems are too complex to be understood through casual observation.
Levy goes on to tackle the extremely provocative—though intriguing—idea of “pleistocene re-wilding,” an effort to replace extinct American megafuana with modern analogues from other continents. Lions, elephants, cheetah and camel all have ancient North American analogues. (As it has no modern predator, the fleet-footed pronghorn sheep has no reason to be so quick other than having evolved in the presence of a very fast predator like an extinct big cat.) Some argue that a lost ecological order could be recreated while simultaneously helping to preserve endangered species. The restoration of top predators could, for example, control the burgeoning population of wild mustangs brought to North America by europeans. These horses trample river bank plants, compact soils, and spread invasive plants. Australians have had some success in (unintentionally) replacing the extinct diprotodon with modern camels. Camels seem to have picked up the role that diprotodon once played. Is this model extensible to other continents? it’s a very tricky question, fraught with various devils in the details.
Levy is realistic about all of this talk of “re-wilding” as even far less contentious reintroduction efforts like the grey wolf took years of dialogue and negotiation with local inhabitants. Politically, extraordinary re-wilding efforts are highly unlikely to ever see the light of day.
Levy does a great job of highlighting the issues surrounding the precisely tuned balance between natural forces that make the complex, dynamic system functional. Completely devoid of “preachiness,” she makes clear that we’re barely sophisticated enough to manage nature and that our own explosion in numbers has imperiled the system that evolved to be so elegant over the millennia. Our ongoing disruption of that system now seems unstoppable and inevitable. Are we next on the extinction list, doomed to join the vanished species chronicled in this book?
North America was once home to quite a few large mammals, the reasons for the disappearance of which is a mater of some debate. Was it a change in climate, the appearance of spear-wielding humans who hunted them to extinction or a combination of the two? Far from being some kind of “human-guilt” book, Levy uses her analysis of this question as a springboard for the larger topic of the fine balance of ecosystems that evolved over the course of millions of years…and what happens when large animals and top predators are removed from the system.
As an example, in the American west, the near elimination of the wolf and mountain lion allowed elk to flourish, making ranchers and game hunters happy but causing a serious disruption to the area’s environment. Dramatically increased elk populations led to overgrazing of native trees upon which other species in the area depended (song birds, for example). Further, the elk population grew sickly. Only when the wolf was re-introduced and elk populations were naturally controlled was a proper balance restored.
Environmentalists are guilty of causing the same sort of unintended consequences. Take the case of their efforts to restore river bank ecology and restore wildflowers and native grassland by removing grazing cattle. Compete removal of the cattle had negative consequences as well. Only through careful trial and error did management experts learn that a balanced approach of keeping cattle roaming, as native bison did, is the best method of preserving these lands.
These are but two examples of how the “common wisdom” of the average Joe is completely inadequate to the task of effective environmental management. Ecological systems are too complex to be understood through casual observation.
Levy goes on to tackle the extremely provocative—though intriguing—idea of “pleistocene re-wilding,” an effort to replace extinct American megafuana with modern analogues from other continents. Lions, elephants, cheetah and camel all have ancient North American analogues. (As it has no modern predator, the fleet-footed pronghorn sheep has no reason to be so quick other than having evolved in the presence of a very fast predator like an extinct big cat.) Some argue that a lost ecological order could be recreated while simultaneously helping to preserve endangered species. The restoration of top predators could, for example, control the burgeoning population of wild mustangs brought to North America by europeans. These horses trample river bank plants, compact soils, and spread invasive plants. Australians have had some success in (unintentionally) replacing the extinct diprotodon with modern camels. Camels seem to have picked up the role that diprotodon once played. Is this model extensible to other continents? it’s a very tricky question, fraught with various devils in the details.
Levy is realistic about all of this talk of “re-wilding” as even far less contentious reintroduction efforts like the grey wolf took years of dialogue and negotiation with local inhabitants. Politically, extraordinary re-wilding efforts are highly unlikely to ever see the light of day.
Levy does a great job of highlighting the issues surrounding the precisely tuned balance between natural forces that make the complex, dynamic system functional. Completely devoid of “preachiness,” she makes clear that we’re barely sophisticated enough to manage nature and that our own explosion in numbers has imperiled the system that evolved to be so elegant over the millennia. Our ongoing disruption of that system now seems unstoppable and inevitable. Are we next on the extinction list, doomed to join the vanished species chronicled in this book?
May 15, 2013
Great review of contemporary thinking about the global pleistocene extinctions of megafauna. Levy does a good job of covering all sides of the issue, giving a good degree of attention to both the climate-driven and human-driven camps. As a partisan of the human-driven theory or body of ideas myself, it was pleasing to read her unabashed endorsement of that position as the one that seemed to make the most sense. There's a lot of interesting facts and tidbits here, as well as well-explained versions of how human impact on pleistocene ecologies might have been simultaneously massive and leave few kill sites. A personal favorite was her description of the propagation of the Clovis tool-set through early North American populations as a technology of rapid adaptation- that is, it wasn't Clovis people spreading out rapidly and disrupting things, but their tools.
January 1, 2018
A very rewarding read. This book covers the demise of megafauna in Ice Ages, and translates those findings back to the conservation of megafauna in our current time. I have learned many amazing new species, how they lived and how their current counterparts may be introduced nowadays in order to restore the balance of the ecosystem once again. Did you know that a mammoth tusk can be used to learn the life story of the mammoth? Amazing!
February 27, 2021
The main message I got out of this book is just how complex trying to restore working ecosystems to the modern world will be. There are so many possible interactions between humans, megafauna, plants, and climate that might occur. The most important thing is to keep researching how successful ecosystems work and how humans can be integrated into them without damaging them.
November 21, 2023
I love megafauna.
July 20, 2018
4,5 hviezdy, ale pozor, nie je to encyklopédia s obrázkami či katalógom druhov.
Autorka sa zaoberá otázkou, čo spôsobilo vyhynutie megafauny na konci doby ľadovej (pričom sa orientuje hlavne na Severnú Ameriku a Austráliu) a dáva na ňu logické odpovede. Hádam nebude spoiler, keď napíšem, že autorka kombinuje súvislosti oteplenia klímy s príchodom človeka, ktorý bol v love zameraný práve na najväčšie živočíchy (nad 1 tonu hmotnosti), ktoré majú dlhodobú graviditu aj výchovu mláďaťa. Tisícročia takejto koexistencie nakoniec spôsobili pred 13.000 rokmi ich zánik. Zo strany ľudstva nešlo o žiaden "blitzkrieg", ktorý by zver hubil v desaťtisícoch ako je tomu dnes, no každá strata čo i len jedného veľkého samca v lokalite, mohla narušiť existenciu druhu (zabitie veľkého dominanta podnietilo mladších útočiť na samice, alebo mláďatá či seba navzájom, spôsobovali straty na životoch a matky, ak prežili, radšej odišli na nehostinnejšie miesto. Tisícky rokov takejto konštantnej nerovnováhy spôsobovanej človekom, kedy druh nedokázal časovo nahrádzať svoje straty spôsobené lovom, v spojení s postupnou zmenou klímy ich nakoniec vyhubili). Zánik obrov spôsobil aj zmenu krajiny, pretože obri požierali mladé stromy a tak step sa ich neprítomnosťou zmenila na tundru, a tá zas na les, ktorý vyhovoval skôr jeleňom a losom, ako koňom a ťavám (ich vyhynutie v Severnej Amerike, však veľmi nekomentovala). Taktiež sa nedostala k vyhynutiu menších tvorov megafauny, ako napríklad veľkých mačkovitých šeliem i keď ich postupné vyhynutie so stratou veľkej potravy je celkom logické. Vzájomné ovplyvňovanie druhov prezentuje aj na dnešku (napr. ako vypaľovanie trávy migrujúcimi ľuďmi v Austrálii spôsobilo nástup rýchlo rastúcich rastlín, ktoré sa uplatnili voči tým pomalším a to sa odzrkadlilo na faune, ktorá sa nimi živila). Taktiež poukázala na príčinnú súvislosť medzi vlkmi, brezami a bobrami, či dingami a malými cicavcami (teda že kde žije pes dingo, tam nie sú mačky a líšky a teda drobnej zveri sa darí lepšie) a podobne. Nakoniec načrtla aj možnosti vrátenia megafauny na svoje pôvodné územia s čím sú spojené aj hrozby. Aj keď plán na návrat levov, slonov a tiav do Severnej Ameriky bol na stole (ťažko povedať, či by prežili zimu a tiež či by nepreniesli nejaké choroby), nik by s tým nesúhlasil, veď s návratom vlka do Yellowstonu boli desaťročné opletačky. Hoci návštevnosť parku prináša 35 miliónov ročne, vlky znížili stav premnoženej vysokej na polovicu, tiež zabijú v okolí parku cca 300 kusov oviec a kôz ročne a preto sú v neustálej nemilosti (čo už potom levy). Poukázala aj na krízu tiav v Austrálii (kde ich žije cez milión pretože nemajú predátora) a to isté aj u mustangov v Amerike, čím vlastne povedala, že ak chceme navracať druhy tam kde patria, nemožno to robiť len s herbivormi, ale aj s predátormi, lebo inak nedôjde k ekologickej diverzite, ale len škodám. Takže koho tieto veci zaujímajú, vrelo odporúčam :)
Autorka sa zaoberá otázkou, čo spôsobilo vyhynutie megafauny na konci doby ľadovej (pričom sa orientuje hlavne na Severnú Ameriku a Austráliu) a dáva na ňu logické odpovede. Hádam nebude spoiler, keď napíšem, že autorka kombinuje súvislosti oteplenia klímy s príchodom človeka, ktorý bol v love zameraný práve na najväčšie živočíchy (nad 1 tonu hmotnosti), ktoré majú dlhodobú graviditu aj výchovu mláďaťa. Tisícročia takejto koexistencie nakoniec spôsobili pred 13.000 rokmi ich zánik. Zo strany ľudstva nešlo o žiaden "blitzkrieg", ktorý by zver hubil v desaťtisícoch ako je tomu dnes, no každá strata čo i len jedného veľkého samca v lokalite, mohla narušiť existenciu druhu (zabitie veľkého dominanta podnietilo mladších útočiť na samice, alebo mláďatá či seba navzájom, spôsobovali straty na životoch a matky, ak prežili, radšej odišli na nehostinnejšie miesto. Tisícky rokov takejto konštantnej nerovnováhy spôsobovanej človekom, kedy druh nedokázal časovo nahrádzať svoje straty spôsobené lovom, v spojení s postupnou zmenou klímy ich nakoniec vyhubili). Zánik obrov spôsobil aj zmenu krajiny, pretože obri požierali mladé stromy a tak step sa ich neprítomnosťou zmenila na tundru, a tá zas na les, ktorý vyhovoval skôr jeleňom a losom, ako koňom a ťavám (ich vyhynutie v Severnej Amerike, však veľmi nekomentovala). Taktiež sa nedostala k vyhynutiu menších tvorov megafauny, ako napríklad veľkých mačkovitých šeliem i keď ich postupné vyhynutie so stratou veľkej potravy je celkom logické. Vzájomné ovplyvňovanie druhov prezentuje aj na dnešku (napr. ako vypaľovanie trávy migrujúcimi ľuďmi v Austrálii spôsobilo nástup rýchlo rastúcich rastlín, ktoré sa uplatnili voči tým pomalším a to sa odzrkadlilo na faune, ktorá sa nimi živila). Taktiež poukázala na príčinnú súvislosť medzi vlkmi, brezami a bobrami, či dingami a malými cicavcami (teda že kde žije pes dingo, tam nie sú mačky a líšky a teda drobnej zveri sa darí lepšie) a podobne. Nakoniec načrtla aj možnosti vrátenia megafauny na svoje pôvodné územia s čím sú spojené aj hrozby. Aj keď plán na návrat levov, slonov a tiav do Severnej Ameriky bol na stole (ťažko povedať, či by prežili zimu a tiež či by nepreniesli nejaké choroby), nik by s tým nesúhlasil, veď s návratom vlka do Yellowstonu boli desaťročné opletačky. Hoci návštevnosť parku prináša 35 miliónov ročne, vlky znížili stav premnoženej vysokej na polovicu, tiež zabijú v okolí parku cca 300 kusov oviec a kôz ročne a preto sú v neustálej nemilosti (čo už potom levy). Poukázala aj na krízu tiav v Austrálii (kde ich žije cez milión pretože nemajú predátora) a to isté aj u mustangov v Amerike, čím vlastne povedala, že ak chceme navracať druhy tam kde patria, nemožno to robiť len s herbivormi, ale aj s predátormi, lebo inak nedôjde k ekologickej diverzite, ale len škodám. Takže koho tieto veci zaujímajú, vrelo odporúčam :)
September 14, 2017
This is by far the best book I’ve found on woolly mammoths – what they looked like, what they ate, how they behaved, and so. For as much as they appear in pop culture, for as much as other books reference them, there is a surprising dearth of books just about them.
But Once & Future Giants isn’t limited to woolly mammoths. It covers multiple types of Pleistocene megafauna (the technical term for all those big species that went extinct at the end of the Ice Age – saber toothed tigers, dire wolves, giant ground sloths, mastodons, etc). There’s even a quite cool chapter on the megafauna of Australia; I’m certainly fascinated to know that there was once a ten foot tall carnivorous kangaroo and a marsupial lion. Levy also drops cool factoids about how we can still see traces of megafauna today, from the avocado (what else could eat such a giant pit?) to the plight of the California Condor, a huge bird evolved to subsist on megafauna carcasses but now trapped along the coast where it makes do with the remains of similarly-large marine mammals.
Another major focus is the ongoing debate among archaeologists and paleontologists as to why all these megafauna went extinct simultaneously. It basically boils down to two camps: humans hunted them into oblivion (the Overkill Hypothesis), or climate change did them in (the rise in temperatures at the end of the Ice Age causing steppes to transform into forests). Levy goes over the latest evidence for both sides of the debate, but never quite choses one for herself. Which I sympathize with, because there really is convincing and contradictory evidence from both sides, but also because “it was the combined effects” does seem like an obvious solution to the debate.
Late in the book, Levy applies these lessons to modern conservation issues. I was particularly fascinated by her account of the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone, a local environment from which they had been extinct for nearly a century. Rewilding, as it's called, was controversial with local ranchers, hunters, and even some scientists believing wolves would be dangerous and have a detrimental effect on the park. They've have been intensively studied ever since, to guard against unforeseen consequences, and the research has had some amazing finds. The wolves have not just decreased the elk population size, which anyone could have guessed, but led to growth in the songbird population, to changes in tree species, and even altered the courses of Yellowstone’s rivers. It's an incredible account of how the presence (or absence) of a single species can spiral out and out.
Overall a great book that covers an impressive array of research.
But Once & Future Giants isn’t limited to woolly mammoths. It covers multiple types of Pleistocene megafauna (the technical term for all those big species that went extinct at the end of the Ice Age – saber toothed tigers, dire wolves, giant ground sloths, mastodons, etc). There’s even a quite cool chapter on the megafauna of Australia; I’m certainly fascinated to know that there was once a ten foot tall carnivorous kangaroo and a marsupial lion. Levy also drops cool factoids about how we can still see traces of megafauna today, from the avocado (what else could eat such a giant pit?) to the plight of the California Condor, a huge bird evolved to subsist on megafauna carcasses but now trapped along the coast where it makes do with the remains of similarly-large marine mammals.
Another major focus is the ongoing debate among archaeologists and paleontologists as to why all these megafauna went extinct simultaneously. It basically boils down to two camps: humans hunted them into oblivion (the Overkill Hypothesis), or climate change did them in (the rise in temperatures at the end of the Ice Age causing steppes to transform into forests). Levy goes over the latest evidence for both sides of the debate, but never quite choses one for herself. Which I sympathize with, because there really is convincing and contradictory evidence from both sides, but also because “it was the combined effects” does seem like an obvious solution to the debate.
Late in the book, Levy applies these lessons to modern conservation issues. I was particularly fascinated by her account of the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone, a local environment from which they had been extinct for nearly a century. Rewilding, as it's called, was controversial with local ranchers, hunters, and even some scientists believing wolves would be dangerous and have a detrimental effect on the park. They've have been intensively studied ever since, to guard against unforeseen consequences, and the research has had some amazing finds. The wolves have not just decreased the elk population size, which anyone could have guessed, but led to growth in the songbird population, to changes in tree species, and even altered the courses of Yellowstone’s rivers. It's an incredible account of how the presence (or absence) of a single species can spiral out and out.
Overall a great book that covers an impressive array of research.
April 14, 2023
There is certainly a lot of science reporting packed into this book: but the combination of paleontology and natural history of the megafauna, woven into the look-back of human-influenced mass extinction, and then concluding with the look-forward into human-caused climate change felt a bit forced for me. I wanted more of the megafauna science and less of the “here’s what their extinctions mean for us” doom and gloom. It’s all real and all valid, of course, but I was hoping for more biology and less climatology.
September 26, 2021
A very interesting read. Levy covers many topics of controversy including theories on the cause of Pleistocene extinctions, the introduction of extant wildlife and livestock as replacements for extinct megafauna, the role of feral horses in the western U.S., and animal de-extinction.
January 29, 2024
Really interesting story about past and current megafauna. Several stories I'd heard before, but many I hadn't.
November 23, 2024
This was a well written great book to read. If you ae interested in the Pleistocene at all you will not be disappointed reading this book.
February 7, 2012
Review from my blog, http://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2...
I bought Once and Future Giants by Sharon Levy after seeing a review on a science blog. It is indeed an excellent book, though at times it seems that it covers almost too many topics. All, however, have one thread in common: our present ecosystems were to some extent broken by the extinction of large mammals, which can have a profound impact on their environments. Who expected, for instance, that the re-introduction of wolves to Yellowstone would have a positive impact on songbirds and possibly, if the wolves spread far enough, on antelope?
The book attracted me primarily because of the debate on whether the Pleistocene megafauna (mammoth, mastodon, saber-tooth cats, dire wolves, and ground sloths, among others) died out because of climate change or because of overkill by humans, as proposed by Paul Martin. I have Martin’s book, and have been more than half convinced by his arguments. Certainly it has seemed unlikely to me that the warming at the end of the Pleistocene was enough in itself to trigger the extinction of a large number of animals who had survived similar transitions from glacial to interglacial repeatedly in the past. In fact, if we ignore the last fifty years, all the evidence is that it was warmer than the Recent during at least some past interglacials. But Martin very definitely writes as an advocate for his theory, glossing over the problems.
Sharon Levy has written a more balanced book, and one that tends to agree more with my own conclusions. Yes, the changes in climate at the close of the last ice age undoubtedly stressed the Pleistocene megafauna. But the major difference between the last warming and the ones that had happened before was that human beings had emerged as a major predator, and one against whom the large herbivores had no natural defenses. As she points out, the Clovis people need not have killed many mammoths or ground sloths. But human predation, unlike predation by most animals, tends to target healthy animals, often pregnant females. This disrupts the natural social groupings of herbivores, already under stress from climate and habitat change. As the herbivores are killed off, the large carnivores may well die off from starvation. Some of the environmental effects brought about by humans, such as those caused by fire, may also be partly to blame.
The idea of re-wilding, of introducing either the original species (as wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone) or a surrogate is even more controversial – but the controversies are even more political than the reintroduction of the wolf. Predators are an important part of ecosystems – but people simply do not want to live with animals capable of killing large prey. Neither do they want large herbivores, such as camels or elephants, to compete with domesticated animals for food. The mustang problem is an example of both.
A less well-known problem is certain aspects of the protection of endangered species. In some cases animals or plants stressed by the ongoing changes in climate need to be relocated closer to the poles or to higher elevations – but this is often prohibited by the very laws meant to protect them.
I’m fond of the large megafauna, and would love to see a mammoth in person. In fact the terraformed landscape of Falaron in my own novel Tourist Trap, based on ice-age North America, reflects that wishful thinking. But I have to confess I’d have my doubts about living with the creatures of the Ice Age, or with introduced African lions.
I bought Once and Future Giants by Sharon Levy after seeing a review on a science blog. It is indeed an excellent book, though at times it seems that it covers almost too many topics. All, however, have one thread in common: our present ecosystems were to some extent broken by the extinction of large mammals, which can have a profound impact on their environments. Who expected, for instance, that the re-introduction of wolves to Yellowstone would have a positive impact on songbirds and possibly, if the wolves spread far enough, on antelope?
The book attracted me primarily because of the debate on whether the Pleistocene megafauna (mammoth, mastodon, saber-tooth cats, dire wolves, and ground sloths, among others) died out because of climate change or because of overkill by humans, as proposed by Paul Martin. I have Martin’s book, and have been more than half convinced by his arguments. Certainly it has seemed unlikely to me that the warming at the end of the Pleistocene was enough in itself to trigger the extinction of a large number of animals who had survived similar transitions from glacial to interglacial repeatedly in the past. In fact, if we ignore the last fifty years, all the evidence is that it was warmer than the Recent during at least some past interglacials. But Martin very definitely writes as an advocate for his theory, glossing over the problems.
Sharon Levy has written a more balanced book, and one that tends to agree more with my own conclusions. Yes, the changes in climate at the close of the last ice age undoubtedly stressed the Pleistocene megafauna. But the major difference between the last warming and the ones that had happened before was that human beings had emerged as a major predator, and one against whom the large herbivores had no natural defenses. As she points out, the Clovis people need not have killed many mammoths or ground sloths. But human predation, unlike predation by most animals, tends to target healthy animals, often pregnant females. This disrupts the natural social groupings of herbivores, already under stress from climate and habitat change. As the herbivores are killed off, the large carnivores may well die off from starvation. Some of the environmental effects brought about by humans, such as those caused by fire, may also be partly to blame.
The idea of re-wilding, of introducing either the original species (as wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone) or a surrogate is even more controversial – but the controversies are even more political than the reintroduction of the wolf. Predators are an important part of ecosystems – but people simply do not want to live with animals capable of killing large prey. Neither do they want large herbivores, such as camels or elephants, to compete with domesticated animals for food. The mustang problem is an example of both.
A less well-known problem is certain aspects of the protection of endangered species. In some cases animals or plants stressed by the ongoing changes in climate need to be relocated closer to the poles or to higher elevations – but this is often prohibited by the very laws meant to protect them.
I’m fond of the large megafauna, and would love to see a mammoth in person. In fact the terraformed landscape of Falaron in my own novel Tourist Trap, based on ice-age North America, reflects that wishful thinking. But I have to confess I’d have my doubts about living with the creatures of the Ice Age, or with introduced African lions.
November 20, 2014
In her nonfiction book, Once and Future Giants: What Ice Age Extinctions Tell Us About the Fate of Earth’s Largest Animals, Sharon Levy discusses the extinction events of the Pleistocene megafauna and how that affects today’s large mammals, such as elephants and polar bears. These large mammals are relatives of the Pleistocene giants and are at a similar risk due to climate change, global warming, habitat destruction, and overhunting. According to Levy, these are possible causes for the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna. Once and Future Giants illustrates the human impact on megafauna extinctions and explores conservation strategies to prevent our current megafauna from suffering the same fate as their Pleistocene ancestors.
Overall, we found Once and Future Giants by Sharon Levy to be interesting and memorable because it points out the inevitable interaction between humans and nature and its consequences. The book inspires the reader to contribute to the climate change movement and the protection of our large mammals. We thought that Once and Future Giants had good content, but perhaps the organization was lacking. Levy discusses many animals throughout her book and the book is not categorized accordingly. It feels confusing at times because she is also working with many different scientists and their opinions are jumbled throughout the book. Additionally, certain sections tend to drag on or feel redundant. Her point about humans being the “ultimate invasive species” was very interesting as well as her contrast of the way humans impacted the Pleistocene giants and the way we have impacted species today.
Based on the cover and title, we thought the book would talk more about the largest of the megafauna, specifically the mammoth and mastodon. It would have been interesting to hear more about what their lives would have been like when they were alive. Levy points out that could be possible to bring back the mammoths and mastodons by recreating DNA and utilizing fossils. She admits that this seems incredibly unrealistic and could have many ecological consequences, it is an interesting theory. Levy is very effective at linking the ancient megafauna to our large mammals today. This book is a good supplemental material to our geography course as it presents topics such as climate change and ecosystems in a more relatable manner with real examples. The book is motivating to want to make a difference and encourage education on the impact we are having on our environment. We agreed with the majority of her points and felt that she presented them in a very understandable way.
Based on this book, we believe that we, as humans, should learn from our past mistakes, such as the extinctions from the Pleistocene epoch. It is important that we learn to coexist with the large mammals instead of taking advantage of them and threatening them into extinction. Our actions for the future should prioritize the protection of endangered species via harsher law enforcement and stopping poaching. We should support organizations like PETA to protect animals. Another important action that we need to take is to educate people so that they will care enough to save these animals. We are seeing the same patterns with the elephant as we did with the mammoth as they are being pushed to extinction due to poaching for ivory. Levy believes that it is not too late to save these species and hopefully we can take the lessons from these ancient giants to save our large mammals now.
Overall, we found Once and Future Giants by Sharon Levy to be interesting and memorable because it points out the inevitable interaction between humans and nature and its consequences. The book inspires the reader to contribute to the climate change movement and the protection of our large mammals. We thought that Once and Future Giants had good content, but perhaps the organization was lacking. Levy discusses many animals throughout her book and the book is not categorized accordingly. It feels confusing at times because she is also working with many different scientists and their opinions are jumbled throughout the book. Additionally, certain sections tend to drag on or feel redundant. Her point about humans being the “ultimate invasive species” was very interesting as well as her contrast of the way humans impacted the Pleistocene giants and the way we have impacted species today.
Based on the cover and title, we thought the book would talk more about the largest of the megafauna, specifically the mammoth and mastodon. It would have been interesting to hear more about what their lives would have been like when they were alive. Levy points out that could be possible to bring back the mammoths and mastodons by recreating DNA and utilizing fossils. She admits that this seems incredibly unrealistic and could have many ecological consequences, it is an interesting theory. Levy is very effective at linking the ancient megafauna to our large mammals today. This book is a good supplemental material to our geography course as it presents topics such as climate change and ecosystems in a more relatable manner with real examples. The book is motivating to want to make a difference and encourage education on the impact we are having on our environment. We agreed with the majority of her points and felt that she presented them in a very understandable way.
Based on this book, we believe that we, as humans, should learn from our past mistakes, such as the extinctions from the Pleistocene epoch. It is important that we learn to coexist with the large mammals instead of taking advantage of them and threatening them into extinction. Our actions for the future should prioritize the protection of endangered species via harsher law enforcement and stopping poaching. We should support organizations like PETA to protect animals. Another important action that we need to take is to educate people so that they will care enough to save these animals. We are seeing the same patterns with the elephant as we did with the mammoth as they are being pushed to extinction due to poaching for ivory. Levy believes that it is not too late to save these species and hopefully we can take the lessons from these ancient giants to save our large mammals now.
July 22, 2011
As far as I'm concerned, this is the definitive layman's book to date about megafauna.
I was just a little girl when I saw my first Pleistocene megafauna skeleton in a natural history museum. I had gone past it numerous times in the past offhandedly labeling it dinosaur, but one day stopped to actually read the plaquard: Giant Sloth. And my love of megafauna was born. It is true these beasts are awesome in a poetic, romantic sense, and stir the imagination just as deeply as dinosaurs. Our species has a long relationship with megafauna .. just look at all those magnificent Pleistocene cave paintings our ancestors created! However, this book is firmly grounded in scientific evidence. It covers all the debate, scientific studies, and evidence to date on the cause of megafauna extinctions. Was it climate change or human activity? If you've ever asked yourself that question and wondered at the answer, read this book.
There is the oft-quoted Clovis spearpoint work, but also Sporormiella spore tracking, studies on plant reproduction dependent on large frugivores, correlation with elephants and other surviving megafauna, and much more. The evidence comes not just from North America either. There is a large, really excellent section on Australian research and ecology.
But this book goes much, much further than just discussing the clues surrounding the Pleistocene megafauna extinction events worldwide. It delves deeply into the reasons megafauna filled a valuable ecosystem niche, how ecosystems are less rich and stable without them, and the vital importance of top predators in a ecosystem. This last section draws heavily from studies on wolves in Yellowstone park and is really illuminating reading.
There is some romance in here too. Pleistocene rewilding is extensively covered, not just in it's deliberately provocative extreme form, but in politically and ecologically rational ways. Unintentional rewilding acts, like mustangs in North America and dingos in Australia, are well discussed. There is also a short section on resurrecting extinct megafuana. You are led to understand that the main goal of ecological restoration is to restore the relationships between all the requisite parts of an ecosystem: plants, predators, fruit eaters, grazers and browsers, decomposers, etc.
The book ends reminding us that information learned from extinctions of the past can be applied to extinctions in the present and the future. After all, megafauna is routinely defined by researchers as "creatures weighing at least 44 kg (97 lbs) at adulthood. The average Stone Age person weighed 50 kg (110.2 lbs); Today the average adult weights in at 67 kg (148 lbs)." So, in that sense, we are megafauna.
I was just a little girl when I saw my first Pleistocene megafauna skeleton in a natural history museum. I had gone past it numerous times in the past offhandedly labeling it dinosaur, but one day stopped to actually read the plaquard: Giant Sloth. And my love of megafauna was born. It is true these beasts are awesome in a poetic, romantic sense, and stir the imagination just as deeply as dinosaurs. Our species has a long relationship with megafauna .. just look at all those magnificent Pleistocene cave paintings our ancestors created! However, this book is firmly grounded in scientific evidence. It covers all the debate, scientific studies, and evidence to date on the cause of megafauna extinctions. Was it climate change or human activity? If you've ever asked yourself that question and wondered at the answer, read this book.
There is the oft-quoted Clovis spearpoint work, but also Sporormiella spore tracking, studies on plant reproduction dependent on large frugivores, correlation with elephants and other surviving megafauna, and much more. The evidence comes not just from North America either. There is a large, really excellent section on Australian research and ecology.
But this book goes much, much further than just discussing the clues surrounding the Pleistocene megafauna extinction events worldwide. It delves deeply into the reasons megafauna filled a valuable ecosystem niche, how ecosystems are less rich and stable without them, and the vital importance of top predators in a ecosystem. This last section draws heavily from studies on wolves in Yellowstone park and is really illuminating reading.
There is some romance in here too. Pleistocene rewilding is extensively covered, not just in it's deliberately provocative extreme form, but in politically and ecologically rational ways. Unintentional rewilding acts, like mustangs in North America and dingos in Australia, are well discussed. There is also a short section on resurrecting extinct megafuana. You are led to understand that the main goal of ecological restoration is to restore the relationships between all the requisite parts of an ecosystem: plants, predators, fruit eaters, grazers and browsers, decomposers, etc.
The book ends reminding us that information learned from extinctions of the past can be applied to extinctions in the present and the future. After all, megafauna is routinely defined by researchers as "creatures weighing at least 44 kg (97 lbs) at adulthood. The average Stone Age person weighed 50 kg (110.2 lbs); Today the average adult weights in at 67 kg (148 lbs)." So, in that sense, we are megafauna.
March 23, 2013
Extremely engaging work about the big animals of prehistoric times (the mastodon, the short-faced bear, American lions) and how their demise might teach us lessons about the fate and preservation of today's big animals (African elephants and polar bears).
Levy queries scientists for their take on what brought these ancient animals to extinction; most feel climate change played a role but that human hunting was the larger culprit.
She also explores how efforts to conserve large keystone species - the kind of creatures that get passionate support and therefore political action - are useless until we understand that the more modest and less sexy species that support keystone species should also be protected and promoted.
The book places a particular focus on the controversial idea of "rewilding" which is an attempt to replicate the Pleistocene, for the good of animals and the environment, by introducing megafauna into environments where they once thrived and grew . . . and might do so again. (Environments such as the sparsely populated American west.)
Alas, you can't really go home again to the Pleistocene as the creatures cannot be reproduced back into existance (despite what Nazi scientists thought) and most importantly: without the necessary (re)introduction of top carnivores, there is no means of keeping large herbivore herd numbers in check. People are opposed to the idea of African lions roaming the western plains. Especially people who lIVE in the western plains.
A great read if you are interested in animals, the environment, global warming and what the American west and southwest should become.
Levy queries scientists for their take on what brought these ancient animals to extinction; most feel climate change played a role but that human hunting was the larger culprit.
She also explores how efforts to conserve large keystone species - the kind of creatures that get passionate support and therefore political action - are useless until we understand that the more modest and less sexy species that support keystone species should also be protected and promoted.
The book places a particular focus on the controversial idea of "rewilding" which is an attempt to replicate the Pleistocene, for the good of animals and the environment, by introducing megafauna into environments where they once thrived and grew . . . and might do so again. (Environments such as the sparsely populated American west.)
Alas, you can't really go home again to the Pleistocene as the creatures cannot be reproduced back into existance (despite what Nazi scientists thought) and most importantly: without the necessary (re)introduction of top carnivores, there is no means of keeping large herbivore herd numbers in check. People are opposed to the idea of African lions roaming the western plains. Especially people who lIVE in the western plains.
A great read if you are interested in animals, the environment, global warming and what the American west and southwest should become.
May 13, 2011
Less than 15,000 years ago in an era that scientists refer to as “near time”, humans roamed the earth with megafauna like woolly mammoths, 8 foot long beavers and enormous saber tooth cats. These were creatures our ancestors knew intimately, and in Europe and Asia they made vivid cave paintings of the giant beasts. Then, seemingly all at once, most of the animals disappeared. The ones that survived shrank. Was it climate change? Human hunting? In this awe inspiring book Author Sharon Levy does a thorough job examining all sides of the extinction debate and the people involved in trying to solve the mystery. The answers might hold lessons for preserving today’s large animals, like elephants, tigers, bears, wolves and kangaroos. Since megafauna can have a beneficial impact on the environment, some scientists go as far as promoting “rewilding”, which in the American west would involve reintroducing the ancestors of formerly native Pleistocene animals like lions, elephants and camels. Others want to use the newly decoded woolly mammoth genome to bring them back to life with the help of modern elephants, their closest living cousins. While we may never have lions prowling the Great Plains again, this book is both informative and surprisingly thrilling.
July 5, 2011
Since my main reason for reading this was my obsession with North American megafauna, I loved the first half of this book. The author did a nice job presenting extinction theories, and while I might have liked to read more about animals other than mammoths, I learned a lot. I didn't know much about prehistoric Australian mammals, so I found that section fascinating as well.
The rest of the book was well written, but the more recent ecological issues it covers aren't as much of an interest for me. It concentrates on subjects like wildlife management policies, rewilding, climate change, and the possibility of cloning extinct animals. These larger subjects tied in with the overall theme, but the specific examples brought in sometimes felt jumpy and a bit random.
Considering how difficult it can be to find a book related to megafauna that isn't either dry classroom material or written for children, I was happy to find this one. I might recommend waiting for the paperback, though. The dustjacket on my hardcover copy has a soft, off-putting feel, kept slipping off the book, and looks worn after one read.
The rest of the book was well written, but the more recent ecological issues it covers aren't as much of an interest for me. It concentrates on subjects like wildlife management policies, rewilding, climate change, and the possibility of cloning extinct animals. These larger subjects tied in with the overall theme, but the specific examples brought in sometimes felt jumpy and a bit random.
Considering how difficult it can be to find a book related to megafauna that isn't either dry classroom material or written for children, I was happy to find this one. I might recommend waiting for the paperback, though. The dustjacket on my hardcover copy has a soft, off-putting feel, kept slipping off the book, and looks worn after one read.
May 7, 2016
Like many Goodreaders, I indulge in two books at once, just as you might enjoy two dishes as part of the same meal. So if you want some poetry to read alongside Levy's Once and Future Giants, I recommend Mary Oliver’s American Primitive.
We have two takes on the primitive here - Levy argues that bringing back the primitive (i.e. big non-human carnivores) can restore balance to our prairies. She gently mocks those who would nurture wild horses but not their predators. -- "The threat of a hungry carnivore lurking at the water hole is the essence of the truly wild horse. "
And Oliver's poetry in American Primitive deals with nature, but it doesn’t quite celebrate pretty flowers and peaceful vistas. Oliver’s poems show us that we can’t have wildlife without death, predators and feathers flying, mysteries and terrors… for example, In the Pinewoods, Crow and Owl: we have a Game of Thrones-worthy skirmish between crows and our Owl hero -
“Hissing
and snapping, grabbing about him, dreadful
as death's drum.”
We have two takes on the primitive here - Levy argues that bringing back the primitive (i.e. big non-human carnivores) can restore balance to our prairies. She gently mocks those who would nurture wild horses but not their predators. -- "The threat of a hungry carnivore lurking at the water hole is the essence of the truly wild horse. "
And Oliver's poetry in American Primitive deals with nature, but it doesn’t quite celebrate pretty flowers and peaceful vistas. Oliver’s poems show us that we can’t have wildlife without death, predators and feathers flying, mysteries and terrors… for example, In the Pinewoods, Crow and Owl: we have a Game of Thrones-worthy skirmish between crows and our Owl hero -
“Hissing
and snapping, grabbing about him, dreadful
as death's drum.”
July 3, 2015
Beginning with the stately mastodon of North America, in chapters that move from continent to continent Sharon Levy documents what we know about prehistoric and ancient megafauna: how they lived, how they influenced their environments with respect to other fauna and flora, and ultimately how they died. She describes the ways in which the loss of top predators in many biomes today is having an enormous and unanticipated tumble-down effect, resulting in devastating losses of biodiversity. She also discusses current endeavors and ideas intended to restore habitats altered by humans and their domesticated animals, such as (re-)introducing elephants or camels into the American West, ideas simultaneously fascinating and fantastic.
That it took me over four months to finish this book should not be taken as evidence of it being bland, boring or unreadable; it was rather my mistake in selecting it as bedside reading and often being very, very sleepy.
That it took me over four months to finish this book should not be taken as evidence of it being bland, boring or unreadable; it was rather my mistake in selecting it as bedside reading and often being very, very sleepy.
June 20, 2015
I was very excited to read this book. I love looking into the past for answers to today's questions. If there is a definitive book to capture why megafauna have disappeared, this is it. I learned so much about extinct North American and Australian giants. It was wonderful to learn about the giant land sloth, North American lion, dire wolf and more. The chapter surrounding Yellowstone was incredible. Learning how giant predators help regulate the ecosystem makes me wonder what type of future we are in for as these terrestrial giants become extinct. It goes to show that humans are wrecking the environment. We use so much more energy than our ice age counterparts. It was difficult to read how polar bear and reindeer migration and seasonal habitat were being lost to global warming. This book was eye opening, saddening, and educational. I would read another book like this, perhaps focusing on ecosystems or maybe Guy Robinson or Martin. I'm intrigued.
January 26, 2012
"The only constant is change" ~ Diogenes Laertius
This book is an exploration of extinction events and change. There are lessons to be learned from Pleistocene events that correlate to todays large animals. Conversely, we can learn about Pleistocene events from todays ecological changes.
Numerous things came together to cause Pleistocene megafauna extinction events of which the introduction of humans was probably the final straw. Hunting, fires, decrease of available habitat and environmental changes all contributed.
Present lessons that can be taken from the book is that a diverse ecology is necessary for all species survival. Removal of one species will affect many more, creating far less biodiversity and hence will also create extinction events.
A thoroughly enjoyable book that I found quite readible, recommended reading for ecologically minded people.
This book is an exploration of extinction events and change. There are lessons to be learned from Pleistocene events that correlate to todays large animals. Conversely, we can learn about Pleistocene events from todays ecological changes.
Numerous things came together to cause Pleistocene megafauna extinction events of which the introduction of humans was probably the final straw. Hunting, fires, decrease of available habitat and environmental changes all contributed.
Present lessons that can be taken from the book is that a diverse ecology is necessary for all species survival. Removal of one species will affect many more, creating far less biodiversity and hence will also create extinction events.
A thoroughly enjoyable book that I found quite readible, recommended reading for ecologically minded people.
December 5, 2011
An up to date coverage of theories relating to Pleistocene extinction of megafauna, but predominantly favoring the Overkill hypothesis. The book also tries to tie this in with implications for the conservation of today's large mammals, arguing their vital importance in maintaining wild and productive landscapes. The benefits to fighting global warming through such conservation are interesting and new topics, definitely needing more research. Sadly the practical impossibility of reintroducing large carnivores to truly complete the prehistoric assemblage of beasts (with the exception of places like Yellowstone) on a large enough scale means that mankind will eventually squeeze out all other contemporary megafauna on this planet.
November 19, 2015
This book is very interesting.
Inside you will find Mastodon, Mammoth, Woolly Rhino, Giant Kangaroos, Marsupial Lions and many more. How human predation tipped the balance for their extinction, after they survived many ice ages and global warmings.
And how the loss of the mega-fauna has had huge ecological impacts, and how what we see as 'natural wild landscape' is usually not the case.
How taking out large herbivores, and ESPECIALLY large carnivores really stuffs things up. Humans love to vilify large carnivores, usually for taking livestock, and hunt them out. Then wonder at all the terrible new problems that arise.
The nomadic Maasai people worked out how to balance things, and some cattle ranchers in the USA are starting to follow some of their lessons.
Inside you will find Mastodon, Mammoth, Woolly Rhino, Giant Kangaroos, Marsupial Lions and many more. How human predation tipped the balance for their extinction, after they survived many ice ages and global warmings.
And how the loss of the mega-fauna has had huge ecological impacts, and how what we see as 'natural wild landscape' is usually not the case.
How taking out large herbivores, and ESPECIALLY large carnivores really stuffs things up. Humans love to vilify large carnivores, usually for taking livestock, and hunt them out. Then wonder at all the terrible new problems that arise.
The nomadic Maasai people worked out how to balance things, and some cattle ranchers in the USA are starting to follow some of their lessons.
November 29, 2011
I became aware of this book only because I know the author personally, but I was genuinely surprised by the enjoyment I found in reading about a subject I wasn't even aware existed. While the text covers some fairly technical material, Sharon Levy lays it out in a manner that actually makes the information fun to learn. Although we may feel that some of the subject is theoretical, the concept is still very intriguing and, at times, captivating. I thoroughly enjoyed learning new and interesting things about our world, both past and present.
April 21, 2017
Interesting.
October 31, 2016
A fascinating read.
April 30, 2014
Fascinating book by an author I had not previously read.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews