Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America

David Bustos; Jackson Jakeway; Tommy M. Urban; Vance T. Holliday; Brendan Fenerty; David A. Raichlen; Marcin Budka; Sally C. Reynolds; Bruce D. Allen; David W. Love; Vincent L. Santucci; Daniel Odess; Patrick Willey; H. Gregory McDonald; Matthew R. Bennett

doi:10.1126/sciadv.aar7621

Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America

David Bustos, Jackson Jakeway, Tommy M. Urban, Vance T. Holliday, Brendan Fenerty, David A. Raichlen, Marcin Budka, Sally C. Reynolds, Bruce D. Allen, David W. Love, Vincent L. Santucci, Daniel Odess, Patrick Willey, H. Gregory McDonald, Matthew R. Bennett

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Predator-prey interactions revealed by vertebrate trace fossils are extremely rare. We present footprint evidence from White Sands National Monument in New Mexico for the association of sloth and human trackways. Geologically, the sloth and human trackways were made contemporaneously, and the sloth trackways show evidence of evasion and defensive behavior when associated with human tracks. Behavioral inferences from these trackways indicate prey selection and suggest that humans were harassing, stalking, and/or hunting the now-extinct giant ground sloth in the terminal Pleistocene.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	eaar7621
Journal	Science Advances
Volume	4
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar7621
State	Published - Apr 25 2018

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Bustos, D., Jakeway, J., Urban, T. M., Holliday, V. T., Fenerty, B., Raichlen, D. A., Budka, M., Reynolds, S. C., Allen, B. D., Love, D. W., Santucci, V. L., Odess, D., Willey, P., McDonald, H. G., & Bennett, M. R. (2018). Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America. Science Advances, 4(4), Article eaar7621. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar7621

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abstract = "Predator-prey interactions revealed by vertebrate trace fossils are extremely rare. We present footprint evidence from White Sands National Monument in New Mexico for the association of sloth and human trackways. Geologically, the sloth and human trackways were made contemporaneously, and the sloth trackways show evidence of evasion and defensive behavior when associated with human tracks. Behavioral inferences from these trackways indicate prey selection and suggest that humans were harassing, stalking, and/or hunting the now-extinct giant ground sloth in the terminal Pleistocene.",

author = "David Bustos and Jackson Jakeway and Urban, {Tommy M.} and Holliday, {Vance T.} and Brendan Fenerty and Raichlen, {David A.} and Marcin Budka and Reynolds, {Sally C.} and Allen, {Bruce D.} and Love, {David W.} and Santucci, {Vincent L.} and Daniel Odess and Patrick Willey and McDonald, {H. Gregory} and Bennett, {Matthew R.}",

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AU - Jakeway, Jackson

AU - Urban, Tommy M.

AU - Holliday, Vance T.

AU - Fenerty, Brendan

AU - Raichlen, David A.

AU - Budka, Marcin

AU - Reynolds, Sally C.

AU - Allen, Bruce D.

AU - Love, David W.

AU - Santucci, Vincent L.

AU - Odess, Daniel

AU - Willey, Patrick

AU - McDonald, H. Gregory

AU - Bennett, Matthew R.

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AB - Predator-prey interactions revealed by vertebrate trace fossils are extremely rare. We present footprint evidence from White Sands National Monument in New Mexico for the association of sloth and human trackways. Geologically, the sloth and human trackways were made contemporaneously, and the sloth trackways show evidence of evasion and defensive behavior when associated with human tracks. Behavioral inferences from these trackways indicate prey selection and suggest that humans were harassing, stalking, and/or hunting the now-extinct giant ground sloth in the terminal Pleistocene.

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Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America

Abstract

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