Re: Vegavis gen. nov. - new anseriform in today's Nature

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

> And yet emus are more abundant than ever. Of course, humans have been
> kind enough to reduce dingo numbers in grazing areas (the same areas
> emus love).

And humans have been kind enough to increase the grasslands! Regular burning 
for the last few tens of thousands of years.

> As far as dromornithids were concerned, they had megalanids and
> thylacoleos to contend with (the latter could be larger than a leopard),

*Varanus priscus* is considered by some to have been semiaquatic, and the 
same holds for the mekosuchine (not sebecid, alas) crocs. The most recent 
weight estimate for *Thylacoleo carnifex*, however, is 286 kg... that animal 
meant business.