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I'm still betting on racoons to replace us, but beavers are an interesting entrant in the contest.

• unfocussed_mike 5y ago
  I think it's a mistake to assume that any one animal species will replace us. It's much more likely that visitors to earth in a few million years will encounter beavers, squirrels, raccoons and magpies locked in a complex planetary cold war, with shifting alliances.
  • asdff 5y ago
    Millions of years from now? Probably nothing but crabs.
  • andrewflnr 5y ago
    Fair. Don't forget the dolphins and cephalopods duking it out in the ocean. (Also I think bears are one of the stronger contenders on land, ahead of squirrels for sure). Realistically, though, one of them has to be first, if only by a couple thousand years, and then they'll attain global control sufficient to keep the others from gaining significant power. Much like we did. (though actually the ocean is still a viable second sphere of influence).
    • icelancer 5y ago
      > Fair. Don't forget the dolphins and cephalopods duking it out in the ocean. This kind of thing led to some species thinking it was a great idea to walk on land, and a few billion years later, you have humans all over again. Hopefully they'll avoid this stupid mistake in the next go-around.
    • unfocussed_mike 5y ago
      Honey badgers will be mercenaries for hire.