Putting North America’s End-Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinction in Context

Abstract

After many decades of debate, the North American end-Pleistocene megafaunal mass extinction remains a lightning rod of controversy. The extraordinarily divergent opinions expressed in this volume show that no resolution is in sight. My own position is quite heterodox: I believe that the overkill hypothesis, at least in general terms, already has been “proven” as thoroughly as any historical hypothesis can be. All of the key evidence was available years ago, and all of it firmly refutes competing, ecologically oriented hypotheses (Martin, 1967, 1984). The event’s timing, rapidity, selectivity, and geographic pattern all make good sense according to the anthropogenic model, and no sense at all otherwise. To my eyes, this assessment is so clear-cut that further “tests” (e.g., Beck, 1996) are not really necessary.