What kind of plants and animals lived in KY 10000 years ago?

During the Pleistocene Epoch, which started about 2.5 million years ago, the climate in Kentucky was markedly different than it is today. The state was covered in a mosaic of boreal forest, grasslands, and tundra. The forests were dominated by spruce, fir, and pine trees, while the grasslands were home to a variety of grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs. The tundra was found in the highest elevations and was characterized by low-growing plants such as mosses and lichens.

The Pleistocene Epoch was also a time of megafauna, or giant animals. The largest of these animals was the mastodon, a massive relative of the modern elephant that could reach heights of up to 13 feet and weigh up to 8 tons. Other megafauna that lived in Kentucky at the time included the mammoth, giant bison, short-faced bear, and dire wolf.

With the warming climate at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch, these animals gradually went extinct. The last mastodons disappeared from North America about 11,000 years ago, while the last mammoths died out about 10,000 years ago.

Today, Kentucky is home to a wide variety of plants and animals that are more adapted to the state's current climate. The forests are dominated by oak, maple, and hickory trees, while the grasslands are home to a variety of grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs. The tundra has disappeared from Kentucky, but the state is still home to a variety of animals that are found in colder climates, such as the snowshoe hare, red fox, and white-tailed deer.