Half of the Paleoindian sites in Florida may now be under water in the Gulf of Mexico. Sites with Paleoindian artifacts also have been found in flooded river valleys as much as 17 feet (5.2В m) under the Gulf of Mexico, and suspected sites have been identified up to 20 miles (32В km) offshore under 38 feet (12В m) of water. Many Paleoindian artifacts and animal bones showing butchering marks have been found in Florida rivers, where deep sinkholes in the river bed would have provided access to water. The concentration of animals would have attracted hunters. With water available only at scattered locations, animals and humans would have congregated at the water holes to drink. The few water sources in the interior of Florida were rain-fed lakes and water holes over relatively impervious deposits of marl, or deep sinkholes partially filled by springs. There were few running rivers or springs in what is today's Florida. Its climate also was cooler and much drier.

Florida had about twice the land area, its water table was much lower. Because of the enormous amount of water frozen in ice sheets during the last glacial period, sea level was at least 100 metres (330В ft) lower than now.

ДЇlorida's environment at the end of the Pleistocene was very different from that of today. Other important Paleoindian sites in Florida include Harney Flats in Hillsborough County, the Nalcrest site, and Silver Springs. A Bison antiquus skull with an embedded projectile point has been found in the Wacissa River. Human remains and artifacts have also been found in association with remains of Pleistocene animals at Devil's Den, Melbourne, Warm Mineral Springs, and the Cutler Fossil Site. Evidence that a giant tortoise was cooked in its shell at Little Salt Spring dates to between 12,000 and 13,500 years ago.

Artifacts recovered at the Page-Ladson site date to 12,500 to 14,500 years ago. A carved bone depicting a mammoth found near the site of Vero man has been dated to 13,000 to 20,000 years ago. Human remains and/or artifacts have been found in association with the remains of Pleistocene animals at a number of Florida locations. The first people arrived in Florida before the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna. 4.1 Indigenous peoples encountered by Europeans.

Quaqua nation