Beringia supported a variety of plant and animal life, including mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, short-faced bears, giant short-horned bison, horses, camels, and a distinctive group of giant ground squirrels. These species were able to cross from Asia to North America and vice versa, as well as from North America to South America when sea levels fluctuated, exposing the Bering Land Bridge and creating a route for migration. Other species found on the landbridge include reindeer, wolves, wolverines, arctic foxes, and musk oxen.
Some human populations may also have crossed Beringia during the last ice age, although the timing and details of these migrations remain uncertain. Archaeological evidence suggests that people were present in Beringia by at least 12,500 years ago.
The disappearance of Beringia was a gradual process that occurred as the glaciers melted and sea levels rose. By about 14,000 years ago, the Bering Strait had been flooded and the land bridge was no longer passable. The inundation of Beringia marked a significant change in the geography of the northern hemisphere and had profound effects on the distribution of plant and animal species in North America and Asia.