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Greetings, Mr. History,

Considering the theory that man killed off most of the big game as he migrated out of Africa across the globe, I often wondered why Africa has so many large animals, (predators & prey) and other continents don’t.  This to me is especially interesting since man originated in Africa, therefore has spent more time there than any other place on earth.  Can you help me understand why there are more large animals still in Africa than any other continent?

William Watson

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Dear Mr. Watson,

The most direct answer regarding the survival of large animals in Africa is that its vast forested areas gave them ample areas to hide from man (until recent centuries). When you refer to large animals in Africa, however, you’re excluding the marine ones, which can grow even bigger (but which are lately even more vulnerable to extinction at human hands). There are also exceptions on other continents, such as the world’s largest predatory cat, the Siberian tiger (also endangered as its forest habitat shrinks and humans hunt it to extinction), the Asiatic elephant, the South American jaguar, the American puma and the American bison.

Sincerely,

 

Jon Guttman
Research Director
World History Group
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