Faunal Extinction and Human Habitation in New Caledonia

Initial Results and Implications of New Research at the Pindai Caves

Bibliographic Data

ID20493953
AuthorsA Anderson (0000-0002-7636-7306, Australian National University), Christophe Sand (0000-0003-3191-0536, Archéologie et Archéométrie), Fiona Petchey (0000-0002-3308-9983, University of Waikato), Trevor H Worthy (0000-0001-7047-4680, UNSW Sydney)
Year2009
Volume1
Issue1
Pages89-109
Publication date2009-12-10
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Pacific Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1179-4704 • E-ISSN: 1179-4712
PublisherNew Zealand Archaeological Association (PUBLISHER • NZ)
DOI10.70460/jpa.v1i1.12
OpenAlexW2156082816
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited11

Archaeological and palaeontological investigations occurred in 2003 at the Pindai Caves in New Caledonia, where remains of prehistoric settlement exist in conjunction with the richest fossil deposits found to date on Grand Terre. Among more than 45 bird taxa in our excavations at least 20 that are locally or globally extinct are represented at levels immediately below or within the era of human occupation. These include the giant megapode, Sylviornis sp., the flightless swamphen, Porphyrio kukuwiedei, and other rails, a kagu, pigeons, a large snipe, Coenocorypha sp., several taxa of owls, a nightjar, and an owlet-nightjar. Unresolved problems in dating and taphonomy, however, make it difficult to specify the strength of cultural associations and thus the extent to which human activities were responsible for extinctions or extirpations. We present the first radiocarbon dates upon Sylviornis bone, showing that, at least, the species survived into the late Holocene. Relatively frequent occurrence of Sylviornis bone in the cultural levels, coupled witha radiocarbon date on a bone sample of about 3000 calBP make a case for human contact

Archaeology · Biology · Cave · Geography · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Wildlife Ecology and Conservation · Ecology · Geology · Paleontology

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