On Earth in the hundreds or years, thousands of years, millions of years since the Holocene and human domination. During the Holocene, a species of primate known as humanity battled each other, they didn’t know that eventually all this fighting would lead to the extinction of civilization. A virus that was created in a lab for warfare was released, this virus wiped out most of humanity. Two groups emerged, the first was a collective of aristocratic families and corporations that fled to space and the other was the survivors of the virus, struggled and eventually loosing most of their humanity. These people resorted to cannibalism, while the sane fled underground.
Eventually, the remainder of the human race evolved into feral forms and slowly diverged apart forming separate species. A few domesticated species survived and diversify, while other invasive species outcompeted various other species into extinction. This is a story of what might happen with what is going on in the world right now. We will explore animals that have evolved in this hypothetical future scenario.
Russian Bison[]
Location: Russia (subspecies in Mongolia, China and Korea)
Taxonomic Name: Bison orientalis
- B. orientalis moreyskaya - A smaller subspecies found in the northern tip of Korea
- B. orientalis mongoli - A more heat-adapted subspecies found in Mongolia
- B. orentalis farfora - A larger subspecies found in China, it is closely linked to the Korean subspecies
Introductions of both European and American species of bison to Siberia are the reason for this species of bison. This species of bison shows many characteristics of both of its ancestors, the American bison and wisent. They have large horns that point forward similar to the European bison, with the long shaggy coat more akin to the American bison. Russian bison also have shorter legs compared to European bison and can readily switch from both grazing and browsing. They have few natural predators, gray wolves will hunt weaker calves, while tigers will hunt mature females.
Dwarf Giant Panda[]
Location: Japan
Taxonomic Name: Ailuropoda japonica
The mass popularity and dedicated research long saved the Giant panda from extinction in China. After the extinction of humanity, giant pandas started to spread out and increase their range. One group of giant pandas crossed into Japan during the short post-civilization glacial period, they were soon isolated to a few islands within Japan and evidently experienced the effects of insular dwarfism. These bears differ from the giant panda in that they have dark brown and white fur as opposed to black and white, they also have smaller brains and larger teeth.
American Wild horse[]
Location: North America
Taxonomic Name: Equus brunneis
- E. brunneis hisponala - A subspecies found in Mexico and central America
- E. brunneis regnum - A northern subspecies found in Canada and Alaska
The descendants of multiple introduced populations of domestic horse (Equus ferus callabus) to North America. They have stayed rather similar to their ancestors. These horses have dark chestnut coats, with black "socks" surrounding their legs. American wild horses also have black manes that are much similar to domestic horses and they are smaller than domestic horses and usually unable to be ridden, because of their tendency to roll over. Wolves, cougar-descendants and bears hunt them and they compete with wild cattle and bison over resources.
Homopilosus[]
Location: Africa
Taxonomic Name: Pan koraha
Descendants of either common chimpanzees or bonobos that live in grasslands and deserts of Africa. They most likely evolved when forests started to deplete and turn into grassland, the apes of that forest had to evolve to the new changing environment. Homophilosus evolved longer and more powerful legs to walk bipedal and run, they evolved more complex vocal and non-verbal communication to hunt and migrate easier. Homophilosus also started to consume meat more often as fruit and vegetables were nearly nonexistent in plains.
Giant Cougar[]
Location: North and South America
Taxonomic Name: Puma gigantis
- P. gigantis americanus - A subspecies located in South America, they are larger than the North American subspecies
A descendant of the cougars, they evolved larger to replace the very distantly extinct feline predators like the smilodon and Panthera leo atrox. These cougars reach a height of two and a half meters and a weight of 465 pounds. Giant cougars evolved in North America and crossed over into South America, where they formed a separate subspecies. They differ greatly from cougars, in that they have faded spots and larger almost saber-like canine teeth.
River Sloth[]
Location: South America
Taxonomic Name: Bradypus hippocampus
This strange xenartha diverged from the Three-toed Sloths, they started to become more aquatic and slowly evolved to the water. It became so adapted to the water, that it no longer could climb trees. They are in many ways evolved convergantly to turtles. River sloth rest on large rocks to rest and spend most of their time foraging for aquatic plants, they have long shaggy coats covered in moss to help blend into their environment. Babies are left on rocks, while the mother will dive for food, the young will often ride on the mothers back if they are migrating to a different body of water.
Bush Man[]
Location: Australia
Taxonomic Name: Homo ahitereiria
A descendant of humans inhabiting Australia, they are similar to the long extinct Homo erectus. They lack advanced communication, but possess the ability to produce and recreate fire. Bush men hunt primarily Eastern grey kangaroos and red kangaroos, as well as banteng. Bush man occasionally compete with dingoes and carnivorous marsupials. These humans are also smaller than Homo sapiens, about four to five feet in height.
New Zealand Honey Bee[]
Location: New Zealand
Taxonomic Name: Apis triebe
European Honey Bess were introduced by European settlers and beekeeping became a common practice. After humanity, honey bees survived and evolved. Honey bees have actually coevolved with the plants and birds in the millions of years of it being around. They feed on tutu, several native species of plants in New Zealand and produce a special honey that is toxic to humans and only a select few birds can consume. These Bees differ in being larger and less aggressive than their relatives.
Honey Marten[]
Location: North America
Taxonomic Name: Martes capensis
During the Holocene, humans bred a type of aggressive bee called an Africanized Honey bee, they quickly swarmed over and conquered the native honey bees and became the dominant bee of Western North American and parts of South America. Eventually the honey marten, a descendant of the American pine marten started to take a similar evolutionary path of the honey badger or ratite of Africa. They evolved to be almost exclusively black as dark colors annoy them, Honey martens also evolved thicker skin and more white blood cells to combat rapid mass bee stings. Honey Martens also posses an acute sense of small much stronger than that of a dog to sniff out honey.
Dire Baboon[]
Location: Africa
Taxonomic Name: Papio crudelissimi
A more predatory descendant of the Olive baboon, they are usually found living near-water holes or heavily-treed areas of savannah. They star nearly two meters tall and are the most carnivorous Old World Monkey living at this time. Dire baboons have black fur, with two white markings adorning their backs. Dire baboons also have more claw-like fingernails and longer legs for running great distances. They usually scavenge off of kills made by other carnivoran predators, but will occasionally be found hunting fish and hunting for smaller mammals.
Siberian Raccoon[]
Location: Russia (also found in some parts of Europe and Asia)
Taxonomic Name: Procyon gigantis
- P. gigantis yevropy - A subspecies that is found in Europe, it is smaller and more adapted to large quantities of heat
- P. gigantis zhōngguó - A subspecies that is found in Asia, mostly in China
A descendant of raccoons that were introduced to Germany and Russia, they quickly adapted to a human dominated world only to meet their demise as humans began to die off. This caused much of the raccoon population to die off, but not all of them died as a few adapted well to their surroundings. They became slightly larger, with thicker fur and shorter muzzles, they evolved coats that changed color during winter and summer and a more acute sense of smell.