For much of its history, South America was home to a striking array of large animals like those Roosevelt would have associated with Africa or Asia. Although the reasons for the abrupt and dramatic loss of life are not certain, many scientists believe that the impact of human migration was decisive. In contrast to Africa and parts of Asia, where animals evolved alongside early humans and learned to fear them, South America was the last continent to be populated by humans, who by that time had become sophisticated hunters. With no understanding of their new predator, the large animals of South
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