The Earth has changed. The men of yesterday see a different home in this future world. Devoid of buildings, roads and wires. A clean air, healthy rivers, and the silence caused by the absence of traffic. Vast expanses of land are filled with an array of diverse species of organisms, most, if none, have ever lived with humans, for they're died, less than 15 million years ago. Earth shook off mankind in its short stay on the planet, but not by dragging several species down with it. Mankind's era ended with the Holocene extinction event, an extinction that affected the globe, caused by rampant global warming, acidification, pollution and habitat destruction, killing off 30-70% of all species on the planet. Human civilization collapsed, and eventually humans died in a dwindling climatically unstable planet. During their time, humans have manipulated and corrupted ecosystems at a global scale, so the survivors of this cataclism eventually saw a reformed world built out of the scars left by mankind.

Planet Earth is now devoid of obvious signs of human activity. There are no buildings and no statues left visible, all having eroded millions of years ago. Animals and plants have evolved for 15 million years, forming ecosystems completely unalike those before humans appeared. Continents shifted their position too, albeit slightly, forcing animals to adapt to new conditions. The world is now back in the ice age cycles, now more severe as warm ocean currents are interrupted by the motion of landmasses. One curious case is Australia. As it fastly moves northward, more so than other slower landmasses, it is now connected by a land bridge against Asia. This interrupts the exchange of warm water currents between the Indian and the Pacific, allowing for a greater predominance of cold water currents, producing an even more aggravated icehouse condition than the once suffered during the Pleistocene, even though the ice sheets don't extend much further than before. It instead contributed to an increased global aridity, therefore forests and wetlands are even more reduced in terms of expansion, creating a world of ice and sand. Deserts, grasslands and steppes are dominant biomes in this future world, as can be observed here in Australia. Australia is also a continent most morphed by the actions of man. Once an isolated continent ruled by giant marsupials, much of its megafauna was extinguished and replaced by introduced placental mammals, such as carnivorans and hooved ungulates. Once Australia connected with Asia, an even bigger flux of placental mammals from the main continents migrated to this southern land, further corrupting its unique endemism. Now, Australia is a world where marsupials remain modestly diverse under the shadow of traditional rulers that compose the megafauna of the remaining landmasses. Here the land is dry, a vast expanse of sand and rock with little to eat, where only the most hardy can live, while others make the brave journey to cross it to find new lush areas to feed.

Name: Giant australian buffalo (Megabos giganteus)

Ancestor: Water buffalo

Size: 4 meters long

Diet: Grasses, sedges, shrubs and other low-lying plants

Geography: Australia

Time Range: 15 million years hence

The giant australian buffalo (Megabos giganteus) is the largest land animal in Australia in this far future. After the age of man, water buffalos became abundant megafauna on Australia and conquered even the arid plains. Here their large hooves trample the environment, forcing large herds of these one tonne brutes to move from place to place to find food. Males of this species sport enormous horns that they use for display and combat.

Name: Black bull flycatcher (Tragoagreus ater)

Ancestor: Broad-billed flycatcher

Size: 15 centimeters long

Diet: Insects and other small invertebrates

Geography: Australia

Time Range: 15 million years hence

The black bull flycatcher (Tragoagreus ater) is a small species of black bird that commonly hangs around the backs of giant australian buffalos. It feeds on insects that circle around the buffalos, such as flies and such. They often flock around the herds of these large bovids, serving them a great source of food in the harsh australian landscapes.

Name: Australian painted jackal (Lycaenolestes rapidus)

Ancestor: Side-striped jackal

Size: 1 meter long (not counting the tail)

Diet: Invertebrates, reptiles, birds, mammals and fruit

Geography: Australia

Time Range: 15 million years hence

The australian painted jackal (Lycaenolestes rapidus) is a species of canid from Australia, descended from jackals that crossed through the southern asian lands and invaded the australian mainland. With long legs to sprint through the open lands, a robust skull and large ears, it is equipped to chase, dispatch and detect most types of prey found in the desert, and it is also not a stranger to carrion eating.

Name: Western maned wallaby (Jubamacropus occidentalis)

Ancestor: Whiptail wallaby

Size: 1 meter long (counting the tail)

Diet: Mostly grass and other monocots

Geography: Australia

Time Range: 15 million years hence

The western maned wallaby (Jubamacropus occidentalis) is a species of wallaby common in the australian deserts. While Australia is dominated by an array of placental mammals that form the megafauna of this place, marsupials still exist and diversify sufficiently well, with macropods being the most uniquely successful groups. This species retains the typical motion technique of its group, but has long ears to dissipate heat, a fat tail base to store water and fat, and a large dorsal mane of hairs for display.