Study Reveals Humans Drove Dwarf Hippos and Elephants to Extinction on Cyprus

New research shows that paleolithic hunter-gatherers on Cyprus caused the rapid extinction of these species around 14,000 years ago.

The study found that a small population of 3,000-7,000 humans was sufficient to drive dwarf hippos and elephants to extinction within 1,000 years.
These findings challenge previous assumptions that such a small human population couldn't cause rapid extinctions.
Researchers used mathematical models to combine data from paleontology and archaeology, simulating human hunting practices and their impact on megafauna.
The extinction of the dwarf hippo (Phanourios minor) and dwarf elephant (Palaeoloxodon cypriotes) occurred shortly after human arrival on Cyprus.
The study highlights how even small human populations can significantly disrupt ecosystems, leading to major extinctions.