Scientists have uncovered important details about the diet of the first humans to spread across North America during the last Ice Age. Researchers analyzed the bones of a young child, found in southern Montana, to study the diet of his mother, who lived approximately 12,800 years ago. Because the child was still nursing at the time of his death, the chemicals in his bones reflected his mother’s diet. It was revealed that she primarily consumed meat from large animals, known as megafauna, such as mammoths. Mammoths made up about 40% of her diet, with other animals like elk, bison, and camels contributing to the rest. This discovery sheds light on the eating habits of the Clovis people, who are believed to have relied on hunting large animals rather than foraging for plants.

The findings suggest that the Clovis people’s diet was highly focused on megafauna, which were large, energy-rich animals like mammoths that could feed entire groups for extended periods. This strategy of hunting massive prey helped these early humans quickly spread across North and South America. Researchers also noted that this emphasis on hunting megafauna may have contributed to the extinction of these species. The study provides new evidence about how human activities might have impacted the environment during the Ice Age. Additionally, the use of stable isotope analysis, a scientific method that identifies the chemical signature of food, played a crucial role in uncovering these details. The research confirms earlier archaeological findings, linking the Clovis culture to large-scale hunting practices.