Post by youcantry on Jul 13, 2015 13:53:53 GMT 10
This is a wonderful news article. I think by "mammoth bones" the author simply means "large bones" because the rest of the dialogue on fauna mentions classically Australian species such as the diprotodon, wombats and similar.
However the context of this 1893 article is that Charles Sturt, who trekked the interior of South Australia, described it as so inhospitable that very few ventured far after his early expeditions in the 1840s. The discoveries outlined in this article, of giant fauna, necessitates an explanation for how such fauna could be sustained in such an inhospitable location. There must have been tremendous amounts of flora present. Noting this, and noting also that many of Australia's extinct mega fauna are quite similar to some marsupial species found in South America, early naturalists then begin to speculate on why this should be so. A mega-continent spanning the Pacific Ocean (!) is proposed as the only plausible explanation - present pacific islands being the final outposts of the sinking of such a landmass. Of course, today we conclude Gondwana spanned the Earth where we find present day Antarctica - yet a landmass wrapping around the planet, but in a different direction and now believed to be broken up and drifting at sea; not sunk.
Truly an interesting read.
trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/48521778?searchTerm=large%20marsupial%20species%20thought%20to%20be%20extinct&searchLimits=
However the context of this 1893 article is that Charles Sturt, who trekked the interior of South Australia, described it as so inhospitable that very few ventured far after his early expeditions in the 1840s. The discoveries outlined in this article, of giant fauna, necessitates an explanation for how such fauna could be sustained in such an inhospitable location. There must have been tremendous amounts of flora present. Noting this, and noting also that many of Australia's extinct mega fauna are quite similar to some marsupial species found in South America, early naturalists then begin to speculate on why this should be so. A mega-continent spanning the Pacific Ocean (!) is proposed as the only plausible explanation - present pacific islands being the final outposts of the sinking of such a landmass. Of course, today we conclude Gondwana spanned the Earth where we find present day Antarctica - yet a landmass wrapping around the planet, but in a different direction and now believed to be broken up and drifting at sea; not sunk.
Truly an interesting read.
trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/48521778?searchTerm=large%20marsupial%20species%20thought%20to%20be%20extinct&searchLimits=
) - hence it is clear that afrotheres too large to drift can cross the open sea by swimming.