4. Reasons for extinction of Australopithecus

Return to History 8 Human Origins Concepts The Australopithecines change over to the genus Homo is uncertain but it is believed the they lived among early hominids on the savanna for close to 800,000 years before going extinct. There is one certain reason why the Australopithecines went extinct, it is that they were unable to survive under the competitive living circumstances of the time. They were believed to have been overtaken by better herbivores such as the gazelle, oryx, and the horse.

Sources: Manual (26) [1]