The Pleistocene was a period when giants or mega creatures roamed the landscape. Primarily, Australia was close to its current global position although the sea levels were much lower at the time, thus creating temporary land bridges between the mainlands (Australianmuseum.net.au). It is believed that humans first arrived in Australia at this time. As a result of waxing and declining of the polar icecaps, Australia’s climate continued to cycle rapidly between the cold, dry conditions, and the warmer wet conditions (Australianmuseum.net.au). Consequently, during the cold, dry conditions, sea levels fell, creating land bridges that then flooded during the warm, wet conditions. Because of the changing climate, Australia’s plants that were well suited to dry conditions, always changed (Australianmuseum.net.au). During this period, a lush fringe of vegetation extended from the wet rain forests in the north to tall eucalyptus forests in the south. (Australianmuseum.net.au). Moreover, during the Pleistocene was drier in the central areas than at the coast. However, the wet climate at the end of the last Ice Age also allowed a much larger area of open woodlands to thrive. In addition, shallow lakes and swamps covered large parts of Victoria (Australianmuseum.net.au). In addition, volcanic activity scarred the region, creating rocky lava flows and crater lakes on the western plains. These periodic volcanic eruptions fired ash of molten rock redirecting rivers and created swamps. However, just as it is today, the climate was variable with wet years giving way to extended droughts. Notably, the animals that lived during the Pleistocene were different from the ones seen today.

One such animal that lived during the Pleistocene in Australia was the Procoptodon goliah that was a short-faced kangaroo. Essentially, the Pleistocene kangaroo was the largest and heaviest built kangaroo that ever lived standing at about 2 meters tall and weighing up to 200 kilograms (Musser). Notably, the Procoptodon goliah (Musser) The Procoptodon goliah inhabited various area mainly the semi-arid areas of New South Wales and South Australia (Musser). Primarily, many of the areas it inhabited were harsh, characterized mainly by vast areas with wind-blown sand dunes. From its dental composition, the kangaroo mainly fed on tough leaves that it easily grasped from tree branches with its long forelimbs (Musser). Like any other mammal, the Procoptodon goliah gave birth to young ones that developed to maturity in the pouch. Despite animals, there was also some human activity during the Pleistocene period.

Fundamentally, human evolution was influenced by the harsh climatic fluctuations of the Pleistocene (O’Neil) (O’Neil) (O’Neil). In addition, during this period, humans evolved and developed larger bodies.

Works Cited

Musser, Anne. ‘Procoptodon Goliah – Australian Museum’. Australianmuseum.net.au. N.p., 2013. Web. 5 May 2015.

O’Neil, Dennis. ‘Early Human Evolution: Climate Change And Human Evoluti’. Anthro.palomar.edu. N.p., 2013. Web. 5 May 2015.

Australianmuseum.net.au,. ‘The Pleistocene Epoch (1.6 Million-10,000 Years Ago) – Australian Museum’. N.p., 2009. Web. 5 May 2015.