南非地区是早期现代人的重要活动区域，自然环境多样，地理环境优越，三面环海的地形更是孕育出了特别的生计适应策略。如对动物资源的开发和利用，不仅为个体发育提供了必须的营养和能量，而且在获取和加工动物资源的过程中还能促使人类行为的复杂化。本文旨在梳理南非石器时代中期的早期现代人开发动物资源的行为，探讨早期现代人如何适应环境并制定生计策略，并在此基础上，回顾和评述了中国晚更新世动物考古研究成果，据此认为当时的古人类已经开始积极利用周围各种自然资源，初步展现出不同地区古人类的生计策略选择倾向。最后，本文倡导国内的旧石器时代动物考古工作着重复原特定环境内的人类生计模式，并深入探讨古人类的环境适应性及其所反映的行为演化进程。

South Africa, a pivotal area for early modern human activities, enjoys a diverse natural environment and is bordered by three coastlines, leading to unique subsistence adaptations. For example, the exploitation of animal resources has played a crucial role in human evolution. It not only provided essential nutrients and energy for individual growth but also drove the development of complex human behaviors through the acquisition and processing of these resources. Middle Stone Age zooarchaeological studies in South Africa have yielded significant findings, particularly regarding ungulate hunting, terrestrial tortoises collection, aquatic shellfish collection, and marine mammals exploitation. This paper reviews the practices of animal resource exploitation by early modern humans during the Middle Stone Age in South Africa, discussing their adaptive patterns and subsistence strategies in response to environmental conditions.

Terrestrial resources formed a crucial component of the subsistence strategies of early modern humans in South Africa. Large and medium-sized ungulates, as high-quality meat sources, were their primary hunting targets, though they occasionally shifted their focus to smaller ungulates. Notably, the exploitation of marine resources was the most distinctive subsistence behavior of these early modern humans. South Africa preserves the earliest records of marine resource exploitation in the world. The abundant shellfish resources were a significant driving force that prompted early modern humans to frequently visit the coast. During the process of exploiting marine resources, the cognitive abilities of early modern humans were significantly enhanced. In addition to understanding tidal patterns, they also had considerable knowledge of the habits of marine organisms. For example, they would collect shellfish that inhabited the rocky reefs during low tide to ensure the highest efficiency and return. Moreover, early modern humans were well aware of the seasonal changes in shellfish. As their understanding and ability to collect shellfish deepened, early modern humans gradually accumulated valuable experience, which was continuously enriched and developed through intergenerational transmission. This process not only enhanced their survival capabilities and adaptability but also allowed them to obtain more abundant and diverse food resources with lower risks and costs. Ultimately, the accumulation of this wisdom and experience became an important factor in driving human evolution.

In China, while zooarchaeological research is not as rich as that in South Africa, it reveals a clear pattern of subsistence preferences across various environmental settings, with adaptations to local conditions and the exploitation of animal resources. Recent findings in Guangxi show evidence of mollusca resources exploitation dating back to the Late Pleistocene. This paper provides a comprehensive review of Late Pleistocene zooarchaeological studies in China, suggesting that hominins had already begun to actively harness a variety of natural resources in their surroundings, with distinct subsistence patterns among ancient humans in different regions being evident. Given the intricate interplay between hominins and climates in China, it is important to conduct further zooarchaeological research to explore adaptive strategies within specific environmental contexts and to trace the evolution of human behavior.