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| A New Era: Mammals | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 14 2016, 04:02 AM (1,342 Views) | |
| Diabolical Bear | Feb 14 2016, 04:02 AM Post #1 |
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Scenario In the midst of an epoch called the Anthropocene, human activity has had a global impact of Earth's geology and ecology whether it be deforestation, introducing species, or poaching. Human activities have endangered many species like the Rhino and the Tiger. Within 100 years, these iconic and most familiar animals vanished from the earth at the hands of humans. Lions, tigers, rhinos, orangutans all extinct. Even the human race has reached its peak. Many factors such as loss of biodiversity, wars, and viruses lead to extreme population decline and ultimately, the extinction of mankind. But the worst was yet to come. A meteor 5 miles wide is hurtling towards earth. It strikes the famous Grand Canyon in North America, sending more than thousands of tons of debris and dust into the atmosphere and obscuring the sun. Fires were ignited. Loss of sunlight and photosynthesis caused the whole ecosystem and land and at sea to collapse. Billions of animals, many were mammals, died out. Despite this, it only took a few million years for life to recover. The survivors were burrowing animals who will later diversify and fill the unoccupied ecological niches. This is the start of a new era. Survivors and Diversification Rodents: Rodents, particularly rats and mice, are the most adaptable family of animals on the planet. Being able to burrow kept them safe from the thermal heat and being flexible feeders meant that they could eat almost anything. In a few million years after the extinction, there are predator rodents, mega-sized rodents, ungulate rodents, arboreal primate-like rodents (descending from squirrels), and aquatic rodents. Rabbits, Hares, and Pikas: As burrowing animals, rabbits, hares, and pikas are most likely to survive and adapt to the change. They have proven their adaptability in areas of the world as they are hard to eradicate on different continents. They are versatile feeders and breed quickly, allowing evolution to keep up. In the future, deer-like rabbits and and horse-like hares will thrive while mega-sized pikas roam the land. Domestic/Feral/Wild cats: They may seem like unlikely survivors, but domestic cats are very adaptable animals with feral cats being a menace in places like Australia. They've survived by burrowing and staying in their extinct owner's homes. Domestic cats, despite being great pets, still retain their wild instincts and can go feral real easily. Domestic, feral, and wild cats are able to eat a variety of animals such as rodents, rabbits, birds, snakes, and insects. In a few million years, there will be new species of wild cat and even big cats. History might even repeat itself and produce new saber-toothed cats. Canids: The only canids left on the planet are foxes, raccoon dogs and bush dogs. Foxes are adaptable and proven to be a menace in Australia, while bush dogs are widespread in South America. Both animals will set the stage for new canids with bush dogs being the South American equivalent to African wild dogs and foxes being the new wolves and coyotes. There will also be smaller canids the size of a a large rat. Raccoon dogs will also become wolf-like, bear-like, and hyena-like. Mustelids: Mustelids, next to cats, civets, and mongooses, will be the main predators in many ecosystems in the future. They escape the thermal heat by using burrows and prey on rodents and rabbits. Despite their size, they make very skillful predators, capable of taking down prey many times their size. There would be bear-like badgers, leopard-like martens, and fast cheetah-like weasels. Viverrids: Civets and genets are nocturnal animals who survived the mass extinction by resting in tree and rock crevices and burrowing. They were able to prey on small mammals and insects and eventually became major predators. Shrews: Shrews are mouse-like animals that live a life similar to moles. Living underground protects them from the heat and debris in the atmosphere. When that clears up, shrews will discover a barren world and eventually diversify into ungulate shrews and mega shrews. Mongoose: Notorious for slaying cobras, the mongoose is a capable survivor of this mass extinction and this tiny predator will fill the niche once held by big cats and other carnivores. They can eat a wide variety of food and live in burrows, keeping them safe. Mongooses main trump cards are its speed and durability which will become an essential part of its anatomy in the future. Hyrax: A living relative of the iconic elephant, the hyrax is a sole survivor. It lives burrows and close knit family groups with a dominant male who watches for danger. Hyraxs are very adaptable. Their habitats range from dry savannas to dense rain forests to cold Afro-alpine moorlands. Within a few million years, Hyraxs will have evolved mega forms, like their cousin the elephant, but will still have smaller forms. Wombats: Wombats are adaptable marsupials and are excellent diggers; their burrows can be from 3 to 30 meters (10 to 100 feet) long and up to 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) deep. With their rodent-like teeth and strong claws, wombats can eat grasses, sedges, herbs, bark, and roots. They can remain in they're current form, evolve into diprotodon-like mega forms, carnivorous animals like thylacoleo, and even small arboreal froms. Edited by Diabolical Bear, Feb 17 2016, 09:12 PM.
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| Diabolical Bear | Feb 17 2016, 09:33 PM Post #16 |
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Canids Bush Dogs  Raccoon Dog  Fox (Red fox) When other canids died out in this mass extinction, the foxes, raccoon dogs, and bush dogs seized their opportunity of apex predator in the ecosystems. Being able to burrow protected the three canids from harmful heat and debris. Foxes, raccoon dogs, and bush dogs are also flexible eaters and will hunt prey or scavenge from carrion. As millions of years went by, these canids grew in size and developed adaptations for survival. Foxes became coyote and wolf-like predators while bush dogs became South America's equivalent to Africa's painted dog and Asia's dhole, but a little bit larger. Raccoon dogs became wolf-like, bear-like, and hyena-like canids. Edited by Diabolical Bear, Feb 17 2016, 09:34 PM.
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| Diabolical Bear | Feb 18 2016, 09:30 PM Post #17 |
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Mustelids Pine Marten  Wolverine  Fisher The Mustelidae family, along with cats, civets, mongooses, and canids, are the only remaining predators of the 6th mass extinction. They are able predators capable of taking down animals many times their size. Being able to burrow offers them protection from the heat and debris in the atmosphere and their diversity and adaptability ensured the family's survival. Mustelidae has 59 species in this family including badgers, wolverines, ferrets, martens, polecats, weasels, ect. Some mustelids will retain their little forms while others will evolve into large predatory animals the size of bears. |
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| Diabolical Bear | Feb 18 2016, 10:09 PM Post #18 |
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Viverrids African Civet  Binturong  Spotted Genet The Viverridae family is a group of nocturnal animals. They are effective predators but are also flexible feeders, including insects and fruits in their diet. These cat-like animals survived the mass extinction because of their adaptability and also their choice of homes. When the meteor hit, the viverridae family took cover in tree crevices and burrows which protected them. They scavenged off of the dead bodies of many now extinct animals and scrounged up a few fruits to eat. The civets will branch out into the genus Kunipantis, Gatodontis, and Civettictis. The genets will give rise to the genus Emitangus, Gnoridontis, and Genetta. The binturong will form Arctictis, Arctinos, and Skylidontis. |
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| Diabolical Bear | Feb 19 2016, 05:53 PM Post #19 |
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Shrews Asian Musk Shrew  Southern Short-Tailed Shrew Shrews are the fourth most successful mammalian family. They are found worldwide and are extremely adaptable. Living and feeding underground allows them to survive the 6th mass extinction. After a few million years of recovery, the shrew family stepped into the sunlight and diversified becoming anteater sized insectivores, ungulate shrews, and even remained small animals. |
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| CaledonianWarrior96 | Feb 19 2016, 06:46 PM Post #20 |
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I'm pretty sure the Binturuong is endangered. So unless in the future they are preserved and their population is increased via breeding facilities then I don't think it will last long into the future |
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| Diabolical Bear | Feb 19 2016, 07:06 PM Post #21 |
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They might be endangered, but last I checked they were vulnerable. |
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| Diabolical Bear | Feb 19 2016, 10:13 PM Post #22 |
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Mongoose Yellow Mongoose  Ruddy Mongoose  Ring-tailed Mongoose Herpestidae, the mongoose family, is a family of adaptable omnivores who range from Asia to Africa. These animals do eat plant matter but are notorious for killing venomous snakes using their lightning fast speed and fatal bite to the back of the neck. Burrowing allowed mongooses to survive the 6th mass extinction and provided food like insects, rodents, etc. When the earth recovers, the mongooses fill the ecological niches left by predators. Most species of mongoose will become carnivorous, but some will also be omnivores. The herpestidae family's diversity allows them to branch out into a variety of families in the future. Mongooses in Africa could fill jackal or even cheetah niches while mongooses in Asia could become dhole-like pack hunters. |
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| Diabolical Bear | Feb 21 2016, 04:33 PM Post #23 |
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Hyrax Rock Hyrax A living relative of the elephant, the hyrax is a survivor of the 6th mass extinction. It lives burrows and close knit family groups with a dominant male who watches for danger. Hyraxs are very adaptable. Their habitats range from dry savannas to dense rain forests to cold Afro-alpine moorlands. In a few million years, hyraxes will evolve mega forms such as ursine-like or proboscidea-like animals. There will be large hyraxes, small hyraxes, etc. |
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