The Pleistocene is a geological epoch that lasted from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. It is characterized by repeated glacial cycles, where large ice sheets covered significant parts of the Earth, particularly in the northern hemisphere. This period saw dramatic changes in climate and landscapes, influencing the evolution and migration of various species. During the Pleistocene, many large mammals, known as megafauna, roamed the Earth, including woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats. The epoch ended with the last Ice Age, leading to the current geological epoch, the Holocene, which began around 11,700 years ago.