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Diplomsko delo se posveča izumrtju megafavne, ki se je zgodilo v mlajšem pleistocenu. Prizadelo je predvsem velike kopenske sesalce in je zaradi tega edinstveno v zadnjih 65 milijonih let. Naloga se osredotoča na izumrtje megafavne v Avstraliji, Severni in Južni Ameriki ter na njegove vzroke, kar na kratko primerjamo tudi z izumrtjem v Evraziji in Afriki. Predstavljene so glavne hipoteze o vzrokih izumrtja. Opisane so pomembnejše živali iz Avstralije in Amerike, ki so v tem procesu izginile. V Evraziji in Afriki je izumrtje potekalo počasi in postopno, najpomembnejši razlog zanj pa so bile naravne spremembe. Izumrtje v Avstraliji in Ameriki se je zgodilo zelo hitro in prizadelo veliko živalskih vrst. Najverjetnejši vzrok izumrtja je bil prihod modernega človeka. The present undergraduate thesis presents a megafaunal extinction event that occurred in Late Pleistocene. This extinction event mainly affected large terrestrial mammals and was unique in the selection among them during the last 65 million years. The thesis deals with the extinction in Australia, North America and South America. For comparison the extinction in Eurasia and Africa is described. The main hypotheses about the causes of extinction are described. For Australia and America important animals threatened with extinction are described. The extinction in Eurasia and Africa was slow and gradual. The main cause of extinction there was environmental change. In Australia and America, extinction occurred suddenly and a large number of animal species became extinct. The arrival of modern man is the most plausible reason for the extinction there.