ASOIAF/GOT What If? Northern Westeros was populated by Ice Age Megafauna?

[CarlManvers2019]

Just to clarify, “Northern Westeros” means both The North and the lands Beyond-The-Wall

I have to say, I am kinda wondering why it is, that GRRM made it so that the only prehistoric megafauna that look to have existed or even still exist in both areas were Skagosi Unicorns(Whooly Rhinos), Direwolves, Giants(Gigantopithecus) and Mammoths

I am thinking Sabertooth Tigers, Megaloceros’(Giant Deer/Stag), Giant Ground Sloths, Terror Birds etc

What effects would there be in-terms of Northern Societies/Tribes/Clans/Families/Houses/etc and economies? Instead of farming, they would have a VERY deadly source of food and clothing

 

[Deleted member]

They were probably exterminated by the Northmen long ago... Civilisation is old there and there would still be farming. You don’t get the caloric density you need to build Winterfell from hunting alone.

 

[Human Primacy]

I seem to remember mention of Aurochs, too. There could be other things, they just aren't mentioned because it's not important to the story.

As for the effect, it'd depend on the animals. You say ice age, but there were several. We tend to lump a lot of the noteworthy extinct Cenozoic fauna together, just like we do with dinosaurs, but we're actually looking at a long stretch of time, and many of these animals weren't really part of the same ecosystem.

Also important to note is that because we focus on the larger and more impressive animals, it gives us a skewed perception that the environment is way more intense. Many of these large animals didn't coexist, separated by geography or time. Throwing elements of older ecosystems wouldn't necessarily make it more dangerous, on the whole. A smilodon can kill you real easy, but so can a grizzly bear.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Also important to note is that because we focus on the larger and more impressive animals, it gives us a skewed perception that the environment is way more intense. Many of these large animals didn't coexist, separated by geography or time. Throwing elements of older ecosystems wouldn't necessarily make it more dangerous, on the whole. A smilodon can kill you real easy, but so can a grizzly bear.

So, what about things like farming? Would it be a big constant bother for Northern Farmers for Mammoths and other large mammals to come and eat their crops whenever they’re asleep or not looking?

Would it be possible to milk them and turn it into cheese?

Would there be a local town guard just to fend off large animals?

 

[Human Primacy]

I never got the impression there was an exceptional amount of farming north of the wall to begin with. It seems to be snow covered all the time, even during summer.

Most populations of wild animals, even substantially large ones, learn to not mess with humans given enough time. That's not to say there's no threat from them. Look at people in Africa or India, and how they deal with elephants or large cats. They cat pose threats, but it's not as if they're constantly assailed.

As for domesticating them, that's going to depend on the animal. Different species have their own temperament that might or might not make it worthwhile or possible. We did domesticate the aurochs, and turned it into the cow. Horses and camels are also a rather large animal that were domesticated.

Elephants have been tamed, but not domesticated, which comes down to the risk/reward ratio and things like temperament and intelligence. And whether they'll reliably breed in captivity. Elephants are clearly smart enough to be trained and develop relationships with humans, but they're very large and a little unpredictable, and smart enough to start thinking for themselves a bit too much. Also they breed slowly, and do not reliably reproduce in captivity. Plus, the males live separately from the females, and can get very aggressive at times. They do use elephants as work animals in some places, but the animals themselves are essentially wild animals that have been tamed, they haven't been bred into something different the way horses have.

Then you have something like rhinos, which are utterly resistant to taming and domestication. People have tried in the past, but you don't even hear about circus rhinos, because it's not really a thing. They're too aggressive, don't work with people well, and won't breed in captivity. They're having none of our shit, it just isn't going to happen.

 

[Lanmandragon]

So, what about things like farming? Would it be a big constant bother for Northern Farmers for Mammoths and other large mammals to come and eat their crops whenever they’re asleep or not looking?

Would it be possible to milk them and turn it into cheese?

Would there be a local town guard just to fend off large animals?

Naw they'd just kill them. They have steel and advanced tech. IRL we hunted such animals to extiction with flint spears. The westrosi would have no problem wiping them out.