a fauna americana sob ataque: as duas ondas de impacto da presença humana sobre a fauna do continente americano e um pequeno debate sobre a questão dos direitos dos animais em nossos dias

There is an increasing necessity to study questions of the actuality through an archaeological perspective as there is an increasing desire of the archaeologists in expand their epistemological horizons in studying current themes. In this article we discuss a theme that is becoming more present in the Brazilian society: the fight for animal rights. We start with the studies about the extinction of the megafauna in the American continent, showing a wide set of theories about this issue. After we discuss the questions related to the impacts of the progress of the big herds above the Brazilian native fauna and above the natural Brazilian landscapes. We conclude this article showing that the current rhythm of consume of animal products, mainly meat, constitutes a serious threat to the Brazilian fauna.