Final answer:
The extinction timeline of Homo floresiensis, or 'Hobbits,' on Flores Island is uncertain, but involves factors such as island dwarfism and anecdotal historical sightings. They evolved unique physiological traits due to island conditions and may have co-existed with modern humans for some time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of when the "Hobbits" of Flores Island died out is complicated by several factors. Much speculation surrounds the extinction of Homo floresiensis, and various theories suggest a wide timeline. These human relatives, standing only about 3 feet 7 inches tall, evolved unique traits that may have been due to island dwarfism, an evolutionary response to limited resources and reduced predation pressures on Flores Island. However, there were indeed accounts of small people living on the island during the era of the Portuguese conquest in the 16th century, which raises questions about their persistence and potential interactions with modern humans.
Known partially from the skeletal remains found at Liang Bua Cave, H. floresiensis is recognized to have used fire for cooking and made stone tools. Their discovery challenges long-standing theories of human evolution and raises the importance of understanding how different environmental pressures, such as habitat isolation, can lead to dramatic changes in species' physiology and behavior.
When considering when these individuals may have died out, rumours about their existence during the Portuguese conquest provide a tantalizing hint that they might have survived far later than initially believed, potentially co-existing with modern humans for a period.