Megafauna

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In zoology, megafauna (from Greek μέγας megas 'large' and Neo-Latin fauna 'animal life') are large animals. The precise definition of the term varies widely, though a common threshold is approximately 45 kilograms (99 lb), this lower end being centered on humans, with other thresholds being more relative to the sizes of animals in an ecosystem. The spectrum of lower-end thresholds ranges from 10 kilograms (22 lb) to 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb), the latter largely restricted to megaherbivores. Large body size is generally associated with other traits, such as having a slow rate of reproduction and, in large herbivores, reduced or negligible adult mortality from predation. Megafauna species have considerable effects on their local environment, including the suppression of the growth of woody vegetation and a consequent reduction in wildfire frequency. Megafauna also play a role in regulating and stabilizing the abundance of smaller animals. During the Pleistocene, megafauna were diverse across...

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