A new study challenges the view of scavenging as a primitive fallback for early humans, portraying it instead as a smart, reliable survival strategy that shaped our evolution. Led by Spain's CENIEH, the research emphasizes how carrion consumption provided essential nutrition with less effort than hunting. Human traits like strong stomach acid and long-distance mobility made scavenging particularly effective.
Researchers from the National Research Center on Human Evolution (CENIEH) in Spain have led an international study that reframes the role of scavenging in human history. Published in the Journal of Human Evolution in 2025, the paper argues that consuming animal carcasses was not merely an occasional measure but a repeated and central strategy from the earliest hominins to modern times.
The study, titled "Revisiting hominin scavenging through the lens of optimal foraging theory," draws on contributions from experts including Dr. Jordi Rosell and Dr. Maite Arilla of IPHES-CERCA, as well as researchers from institutions like IREC-CSIC and the universities of Alicante and Granada. It highlights scavenging's advantages: accessing calorie-rich food sources required far less energy than pursuing live prey, proving vital during famines when resources were scarce.
Ecological evidence supports this, showing carrion to be more abundant and predictable than once thought, with many species evolving behaviors to mitigate disease risks. The authors note that humans were biologically adapted for this practice. "The acidic pH of the human stomach may act as a defense against pathogens and toxins, and the risk of infection decreased considerably when we began to use fire for cooking. Moreover, our ability to travel long distances with low energy expenditure was key to finding food opportunities," the researchers explain.
Early technologies amplified these strengths. Simple stone tools allowed extraction of meat, fat, and marrow, while language enabled group coordination to locate and exploit carcasses. This approach complemented hunting and gathering, forming a flexible subsistence system.
Historically, the 1960s discoveries of meat consumption by ancient hominins sparked debates over whether early humans were hunters or scavengers. Scavenging was long seen as inferior and temporary, but the study overturns this. Observations of modern carnivores and hunter-gatherer societies confirm scavenging's ongoing practicality, underscoring its role in human development rather than as a mere precursor to advanced hunting.