Earliest evidence for ambush hunting by early humans in the Kenyan Rift

Añadir leyendaS. Reynolds. Credit: Image courtesy of Bournemouth University

Around one million years ago, early humans were skilful at using the landscape features of the Kenyan Rift to ambush and kill their prey, according to new research published in Scientific Reports.

The area was a popular grazing site for larger animals (e.g., giant gelada baboons, elephants, hippopotami and the spotted hyenas) due to its locally high nutrient levels and the presence of an ancient freshwater lake, together with the relative lack of dangerous predators, such as lions.

An interdisciplinary team of anthropologists and earth scientists have shown that animal movements were constrained to particular pathways due to the restrictions imposed by the landscape.

Early humans became adept at predicting these pathways enabling them to ambush large and dangerous animals as evidenced by the butchered remains present at the site, in association with numerous stone tools. [...] ScienceDaily


Actualización 16-09-15: Descubren evidencias de caza con emboscada hace un millón de años
Hace alrededor de un millón de años, los primeros humanos desarrollaron la habilidad de emboscar y matar a sus presas en el paisaje de la región keniana del Rift.

Un nuevo estudio publicado en Scientific Reports, aquel área era un sitio de alimentación común para los animales más grandes (babuínos gigantes, elefantes, hipopótamos o hienas manchadas) debido a altos niveles de nutrientes y la presencia de un antiguo lago de agua dulce, junto con la relativa falta de depredadores peligrosos, tales como leones...