# Why did Homo floresiensis disappear from Liang Bua about 60,000-50,000 years ago? · Homo floresiensis, the origin of the Flores "hobbits" > Three answers have been proposed. Progressive drying of the landscape, a collapse of Stegodon and competition for water and prey drove the… leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJAC4D6J/why-did-homo-floresiensis-disappear-from-liang-bua-about-60 Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:39+00:00 --- **0** # Why did Homo floresiensis disappear from Liang Bua about 60,000-50,000 years ago? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [Is Homo floresiensis a distinct species, or are the Liang Bua remains pathological modern humans?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJ2J1C0W/is-homo-floresiensis-a-distinct-species-or-are-the-liang-bua)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: progressive drying of the landscape, a collapse of Stegodon and competition for water and prey drove the…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. Progressive drying of the landscape, a collapse of Stegodon and competition for water and prey drove the… leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters The revised dates removed the coexistence with modern humans that the 2004 dates implied, and raised the question of what ended the species⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNM730024W/revised-stratigraphy-and-chronology-for-homo-floresiensis-at). A 2025 climate record bears directly on it⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNMB000TDM/onset-of-summer-aridification-and-the-decline-of-homo). ## Answers 3 [**Progressive drying of the landscape, a collapse of Stegodon and competition for water and prey drove the…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/answers/ANS0CZNMQY21KVR/progressive-drying-of-the-landscape-a-collapse-of-stegodon) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for Most likely [**Arriving modern humans displaced or killed them.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/answers/ANS0CZNMRDP2XKP/arriving-modern-humans-displaced-or-killed-them) Tested, but the results don't decide it Evidence: 1 against Disputed [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/answers/ANS0CZNMRXA1V8H/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2016[Sutikna et al. puts forward: arriving modern humans displaced or killed them.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNM730024W/revised-stratigraphy-and-chronology-for-homo-floresiensis-at) 1. 2016[Sutikna et al.: the skeletal remains end about 60,000 years ago and the tools about 50,000, before modern humans are recorded…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNM730024W/revised-stratigraphy-and-chronology-for-homo-floresiensis-at)Against: Arriving modern humans displaced or killed them. 1. 2025[Gagan et al. puts forward: progressive drying of the landscape, a collapse of Stegodon and competition for water and prey drove the…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNMB000TDM/onset-of-summer-aridification-and-the-decline-of-homo) 1. 2025[Gagan et al.: summer rainfall reached a record low at 61,000-55,000 years ago as Stegodon declined.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CZNMB000TDM/onset-of-summer-aridification-and-the-decline-of-homo)For: Progressive drying of the landscape, a collapse of Stegodon and competition for water and prey drove the… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJAC4D6J/why-did-homo-floresiensis-disappear-from-liang-bua-about-60%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJAC4D6J/why-did-homo-floresiensis-disappear-from-liang-bua-about-60%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJAC4D6J/why-did-homo-floresiensis-disappear-from-liang-bua-about-60%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJAC4D6J/why-did-homo-floresiensis-disappear-from-liang-bua-about-60%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJAC4D6J/why-did-homo-floresiensis-disappear-from-liang-bua-about-60%23add-source) Where it fits Homo floresiensis, the origin of the Flores "hobbits" [**Is Homo floresiensis a distinct species, or are the Liang Bua remains pathological modern humans?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis/questions/QST0CZNMJ2J1C0W/is-homo-floresiensis-a-distinct-species-or-are-the-liang-bua)Key question · H. floresiensis is a distinct hominin species. **Why did Homo floresiensis disappear from Liang Bua about 60,000-50,000 years ago?** You're here · progressive drying of the landscape, a collapse of Stegodon and competition for water and prey drove the… [ Ask a question under this one ]