Tasmanian devils coexisted with humans in Pilbara, Australia, for millennia before extinction

Consensus Summary

Fossils uncovered at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia’s Pilbara region reveal that Tasmanian devils lived alongside humans for tens of thousands of years, long before their extinction on the mainland. Both *The Guardian* and ABC report that devil remains, dated to 7,000 and 46,000 years old, were found alongside human artefacts, including bite marks on bones and evidence of scavenging. The site, destroyed by Rio Tinto in 2020, holds critical clues about the relationship between humans and devils, with researchers confirming the marsupials acted as a 'clean-up crew' for ancient camps. The discovery underscores the deep cultural and ecological ties between the Puutu Kunti Kurrama people and the region, as highlighted by both outlets.

The background of this story traces back to the last glacial maximum and beyond, with devils adapting to dramatic climate shifts across Australia. *The Guardian* notes their presence persisted through warm, wet periods and cooler, drier ice ages, while ABC emphasizes the devils’ role in scavenging human camps—evidence that challenges previous assumptions about their habitat. The research also sheds light on the broader ecosystem, where devils likely thrived until the arrival of dingoes, an event both sources link to their eventual extinction. Juukan Gorge’s significance lies in its rare combination of animal remains, stone tools, and human occupation, making it a one-of-a-kind archaeological site in northern Australia.

Key figures in the research include Dr. Tim Churchill, a palaeontologist from UNSW, who led the study and described devils as 'highly adaptable' species that once roamed the mainland’s arid landscapes. *The Guardian* quotes Churchill on the devils’ reliance on human camps over the last 50,000 years, while ABC highlights his speculation that dingoes may have outcompeted them for food. Burchell Hayes, chair of the PKK Land Committee, is also central to the narrative, emphasizing the cultural and scientific loss of the site’s destruction and the ongoing remediation efforts by the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation. Both outlets frame the findings as a reminder of what was lost at Juukan Gorge.

While the core narrative aligns—devils coexisted with humans, scavenged camps, and were displaced by dingoes—the details diverge on timing and causality. *The Guardian* specifies devils went extinct about 3,200 years ago and suggests dingoes 'knocked them off their perch,' whereas ABC focuses on the 800-year gap between dingo arrival (~4,000 years ago) and devil extinction, proposing climate aridity as a contributing factor. ABC also provides a precise location for Juukan Gorge (1,500 km northwest of Perth) and notes the coexistence of both species for about a thousand years, while *The Guardian* broadens the context to include climate resilience. These differences reflect varying emphases on ecological versus human-driven factors in the devils’ decline.

The articles leave unresolved questions about the exact mechanisms of the devils’ extinction, such as whether dingoes directly preyed on them or simply competed for resources. Both sources call for better protection of sites like Juukan Gorge, with ABC explicitly urging safeguards for similar archaeological treasures. *The Guardian* hints at further discoveries from the damaged shelters, including rare artefacts like shell beads and a human-hair belt, while ABC underscores the site’s uniqueness as the only northern Australian location linking animal remains to human occupation. The next steps likely involve continued excavation, cultural repatriation efforts, and broader discussions on heritage preservation in the face of industrial destruction.