Ice Age America

These fossils are representative of some of the mammals that roamed North America just over 10,000 years ago, during the last ice age.

Ice Age America from Ted Rogers on Vimeo.

You may notice that the Mammoth, Mastodon, Cave Bear, Megaloceros, and Dire Wolf look pretty similar to some present day animals. Why did these ones die out while their cousins are still around?

Sometimes it has to do with food availability. Larger animals need more food to live, and the introduction of humans may have cramped the ability to get nutrients. Sometimes it has to do with adaptability. Maybe these creatures couldn't deal with humans arriving and the ice age ending at the same time. Some researchers say other causes, like new diseases or a natural disaster caused these animal's extinction. Finding answers for these questions is all part of a paleontologist's job.