Discovery shows bizarre behaviour led to extinction of giant kangaroos at ancient site
Scientists made the discovery at an outback research site in Central Queensland's Mt Etna Caves region. For thousands of years, a towering rainforest flourished there, but after a major climatic change occurred the area became arid and inhospitable.
Lead researcher Laurikainen Gaete said these towering Protemnodons had 'incredibly small' home ranges. Sadly, the animals didn't want to move away even as their habitat deteriorated around 300,000 years ago.
'Using data from modern kangaroos, we predicted these giant extinct roos would have much larger home ranges. We were astounded to find that they didn't move far at all, with ranges mirroring smaller modern kangaroo species,' Gaete said.
Related: Aussie myth about ancient kangaroos busted by British team
Researchers from the University of Wollongong, Queensland Museum and the University of Adelaide made the discovery using a new procedure they've compared to modern-day GPS tracking.
Queensland Museum scientist and senior curator Dr Scott Hocknull described the isotopic technique as a 'game-changer' that's 'blown our field right open'. It involves examining distinct geological features captured inside fossilised teeth, that suggested individual animals foraged for food close to where they died and were fossilised.
'Imagine ancient GPS trackers, we can use the fossils to track individuals, where they moved, what they ate, who they lived with and how they died – it's like Palaeo Big Brother', he quipped.
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The team now plans to return to Mount Etna along with the Capricorn Caves to examine the past behaviours and diets of other extinct species of kangaroos.
The research was published in the online journal PLOS ONE.
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