Faunal Extinction in an Island Society

The research at Akrotiri Aetokremnos offers significant insights into island biogeography and the evolution of dwarf hippos in Cyprus. The site provides exceptional ecological and behavioral data crucial for understanding natural selection in isolated environments. It marks a pivotal point in the hippo evolutionary sequence, allowing for comparative studies with other Cypriot faunas to trace initial colonization and the subsequent dwarfing process. The findings are valuable for paleontology, even without evidence of human presence, and raise intriguing questions about the colonization mechanisms of large mammals.