the fact that many former top predators are now extinct
Mammoths, predators? My initial intuitive reaction was that that couldn’t possibly be right—they’re way too massive for that. It’s a bit tricky to find definite statements on this on the web, but the relevant WP article does say that “Their teeth were also adapted to their diet of coarse tundra grasses”. Also note that their closest surviving relatives are herbivores. I’m 0.9 sure mammoths weren’t predators. Do you have evidence for your claim?
And for that matter, driving mammoths to extinction is no mean feat either (though it was probably not just pressure from human hunting—apparently we got help from climate changes). Herbivores have been optimized to limit their risk from predation, and for the heavier ones (which can’t hope to outrun a predator) those adaptions usually involve fighting back. Them not being naturally aggressive doesn’t mean it’s trivial to bring one down.
Nitpick:
Mammoths, predators? My initial intuitive reaction was that that couldn’t possibly be right—they’re way too massive for that. It’s a bit tricky to find definite statements on this on the web, but the relevant WP article does say that “Their teeth were also adapted to their diet of coarse tundra grasses”. Also note that their closest surviving relatives are herbivores. I’m 0.9 sure mammoths weren’t predators. Do you have evidence for your claim?
“I’m 0.9 sure mammoths weren’t predators. Do you have evidence for your claim?”
Nope, it appears that you are right. Saber-toothed tigers work just as well, though.
And for that matter, driving mammoths to extinction is no mean feat either (though it was probably not just pressure from human hunting—apparently we got help from climate changes). Herbivores have been optimized to limit their risk from predation, and for the heavier ones (which can’t hope to outrun a predator) those adaptions usually involve fighting back. Them not being naturally aggressive doesn’t mean it’s trivial to bring one down.