Re: Why Large Gap Between Species...?

T&B Schmal (schmal@firstnethou.com)
Sat, 07 Dec 1996 11:42:47 +0000

> >>re: Nat's question: why couldn't the piths and early homos both survive?
> >>Good question. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, wolves - all survive in Africa
> >>and they *don't* dedicate themselves to wiping each other out.

> >>Tom

> I don't think you can compare big cats and primates here. The mind and
> motivations of a lion or cheetah are far removed from those of primates.

> Laurie
>

I could have said monkeys. Many species of monkeys survive in the same
ecosystems and compete basically for the same things. They don't kill
each other off. Why not early homo and piths? I don;t think Nat is
presuming genocide, in fact, given the tolerances exhibited by all other
species, that may not be the likely case, but what else could the
explanation be?

Tom