Data from: Anthropogenic extinction dominates Holocene declines of West Indian mammals

The massive postglacial mammal losses of the West Indies provide an important opportunity to evaluate extinction dynamics, but limited data have hindered our ability to test hypotheses. Here, we analyze the tempo and dynamics of extinction using a novel dataset of faunal Last Appearance Dates and human First Appearance Dates, demonstrating widespread overlap between humans and extinct terrestrial mammals. Humans arrived in four waves (Lithic, Archaic, Ceramic, European), each associated with increasing environmental impact. Large-bodied mammals and several bats were extinct by the Archaic, following “sitzkrieg” extinction dynamics perhaps reflecting habitat loss. Most small-bodied rodents and lipotyphlans survived the Ceramic, but extensive landscape transformation and invasive introductions following European colonization caused further extinctions, leaving a threatened remnant fauna. Both large- and small-bodied non-volant mammals disappeared, reflecting complex relationships between body size, ecology and anthropogenic change. Extinct bats were generally larger, matching declines from natural catastrophes and human pressure.