Sair Escrever DIPROTODON Read a short passage: Diprotodon is the largest known marsupial to have ever lived. It was a member of a group of unusual species known as the "Australian megafauna" and existed around 1.6 million years ago. The largest specimens discovered were as large as a current-day hippopotamus. There are many conflicting theories about when the diprotodon became extinct, these times range from 28,000 to 46,000 years ago. There have been three theories suggested for the mass extinction of the species.The first theory is that fire set by humans caused them to become extinct. It is believed that early Aborigines would use fire to manage the land and drive game. This could have caused the diprotodon to lose its home and environment. With less land to have a natural environment undisturbed by humans, there was less room for them to live.A second theory is that they were hunted to extinction by humans. Fossils found with what appear to be butchering marks support this theory. Other support for the theory comes from other places where overhunting led to the extinction of megafauna such as in New Zealand and Madagascar.Finally, the third theory for the extinction of the diprotodon was a cold and dry climate. Around the proposed times of the extinction of the diprotodon was when an ice age was occurring. An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the expansion of ice sheets and glaciers. It is possible that diprotodon went extinct because of the temperature drop during the ice age.Listen to part of a lecture:[audio mp3="https://examwiseacademy.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Diprotodon.mp3"][/audio][ays_quiz id="33"]