At the launch of this book the author told a select company of guests in Vancouver about what happened to the original animals in New Zealand。 How the rats came with the humans。 How the humans had a tough time to survive after a perilous journey via - basically - kayaks - and had to do what they could to survive。 How the same pattern followed on all the islands that humans came to inhabit。 The disappearance of the largest animals and birds first， for pretty obvious reasons。 He invited us to imag At the launch of this book the author told a select company of guests in Vancouver about what happened to the original animals in New Zealand。 How the rats came with the humans。 How the humans had a tough time to survive after a perilous journey via - basically - kayaks - and had to do what they could to survive。 How the same pattern followed on all the islands that humans came to inhabit。 The disappearance of the largest animals and birds first， for pretty obvious reasons。 He invited us to imagine the Serengeti-like nature of North America at the time the first humans arrived。 Sloths the size of elephants。 Mammoths of course。 Giant horses。 Strange and wonderful creatures。 Gone。 Not because we were evil， but because we are compelled to want to survive。 Not much has changed。 We're still like that。 What IS changing is our understanding， now， of the consequences of us following our biological destiny。 This book helped me overcome my guilt for being human。 It also offered me a huge new infusion of energy and enthusiasm to continue to advocate on behalf of the protection and preservation of remaining species。 Megafauna: First Victims of the Human-Caused Extinction 。。。more