Green Antartica

The Neogene drying experienced one of the most drastic faunal turnovers of the Cenozoic era. The glaciers in the polar regions began to develop. And now, its cultural insignificance literally renders it completely absence on some geographical maps despite its sheer size and its effect on the climate. However on this timeline, the Miocene epoch experiences a thermal maximum, bringing back Eocene temperatures and thus the graminoids never fully diversified, inhibiting the development of some modern groups, rendering them either extinct or rare. Meanwhile, the melting of the polar ice caps disrupts oceanic currents, impacting monsoonal patterns across the globe. And thus; a new world was created all because of a minor temperature fluctuation that occurred during the Miocene.

Today, graminoids populate the interior of the continent, while the outer fringes are inhabited by conifer and to a lesser extent, deciduous forests. The fauna of the continent is mostly descended from animals with high dispersal capabilities, with the birds dominating megafaunal niches.