Bone Marks Hint This Hobbit Wasn’t a Hunter

Our Ancestors Were 'Hobbits' Who Had a Strange Relationship With Komodo Dragons, Study Finds

According to new research published in Science Advances and reported by CNN, we had hobbit-like ancestors, and apparently they had an appetite worthy of Tolkien’s hobbits. These tiny human relatives lived alongside Komodo dragons on the Indonesian island of Flores and, instead of hunting giant prey themselves, they were a bit more opportunistic, as they waited for the world’s largest lizards to finish eating before helping themselves to what was…

Ancient hobbit-like humans may have survived on meat left behind by Komodo dragons

Arguably one of the most curious ancient human relatives is Homo floresiensis, a 3-foot-tall species that lived on the Indonesian island of Flores and has been nicknamed "hobbit" for its diminutive stature. Even though they had small brains, scientists had thought they were surprisingly advanced because early research linked them to big-game hunting, specifically targeting the extinct dwarf elephant (Stegodon florensis insularis), as well as the use of fire.

Bone marks hint this hobbit wasn’t a hunter

Homo floresiensis may have scavenged Komodo dragon leftovers instead of hunting small elephant relatives.

Earth’s ‘Hobbits’ may have failed to survive and yet lived longer than expected because of their relationship with Komodo Dragons

It turns out those mysterious, pint-sized human relatives we nicknamed hobbits weren’t the master hunters we once thought they were. CNN has now reported that new research suggests that Homo floresiensis, the diminutive hominin discovered in the Liang Bua cave on the Indonesian island of Flores, were likely scavengers rather than the skilled big-game hunters that early theories described.  Dr. Elizabeth Grace Veatch, a paleoanthropologist, repor…