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Specialized rainforest hunting by Homo sapiens ~45,000 years ago

Author

Listed:
  • Oshan Wedage

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
    University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda)

  • Noel Amano

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History)

  • Michelle C. Langley

    (Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan)

  • Katerina Douka

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
    Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford)

  • James Blinkhorn

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
    Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham)

  • Alison Crowther

    (University of Queensland)

  • Siran Deraniyagala

    (Government of Sri Lanka)

  • Nikos Kourampas

    (University of Stirling
    University of Edinburgh)

  • Ian Simpson

    (University of Stirling)

  • Nimal Perera

    (Government of Sri Lanka)

  • Andrea Picin

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History)

  • Nicole Boivin

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History)

  • Michael Petraglia

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
    Smithsonian Institution)

  • Patrick Roberts

    (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History)

Abstract

Defining the distinctive capacities of Homo sapiens relative to other hominins is a major focus for human evolutionary studies. It has been argued that the procurement of small, difficult-to-catch, agile prey is a hallmark of complex behavior unique to our species; however, most research in this regard has been limited to the last 20,000 years in Europe and the Levant. Here, we present detailed faunal assemblage and taphonomic data from Fa-Hien Lena Cave in Sri Lanka that demonstrates specialized, sophisticated hunting of semi-arboreal and arboreal monkey and squirrel populations from ca. 45,000 years ago, in a tropical rainforest environment. Facilitated by complex osseous and microlithic technologies, we argue these data highlight that the early capture of small, elusive mammals was part of the plastic behavior of Homo sapiens that allowed it to rapidly colonize a series of extreme environments that were apparently untouched by its hominin relatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Oshan Wedage & Noel Amano & Michelle C. Langley & Katerina Douka & James Blinkhorn & Alison Crowther & Siran Deraniyagala & Nikos Kourampas & Ian Simpson & Nimal Perera & Andrea Picin & Nicole Boivin , 2019. "Specialized rainforest hunting by Homo sapiens ~45,000 years ago," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-08623-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08623-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Cepic, Michael & Bechtold, Ulrike & Wilfing, Harald, 2022. "Modelling human influences on biodiversity at a global scale–A human ecology perspective," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 465(C).
    2. Samuel Xin Tham Lee & Zachary Amir & Jonathan H. Moore & Kaitlyn M. Gaynor & Matthew Scott Luskin, 2024. "Effects of human disturbances on wildlife behaviour and consequences for predator-prey overlap in Southeast Asia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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