Final answer:
Approximately 700,000 years ago, humans followed large land animals from Siberia to Alaska across a land bridge exposed during the Pleistocene epoch. These migrations were driven by the pursuit of Pleistocene megafauna and involved adapting hunting practices according to the changing environments and prey species encountered.
Step-by-step explanation:
Approximately 700,000 years ago, humans followed large land animals from Siberia to Alaska, crossing the land bridge between the continents. This migration occurred during the Pleistocene epoch, when sea levels dropped due to the formation of massive glaciers, revealing a land bridge that made it possible for humans to pursue megafauna such as mammoths and mastodons. Over time, as humans encountered new environments and megafauna, they adapted their hunting strategies and often contributed to the extinction of these large species through overhunting, altered landscapes, and other impacts. The significant migrations, where peoples moved from Siberia, Eurasia, and coastal Asia, included following the megafauna of the Pleistocene. Specifically, between 10,000-14,000 BP (Before Present), up to four distinct migrations occurred over this land bridge.
As hunter-gatherers, these ancient humans went where the food sources led them, which often required following herds in their seasonal migrations. Utilizing a deep knowledge of animal behavior and biology, they adjusted their hunting practices and techniques to the changing animal populations and available resources.