Between the extinct animals The most incredible we can find the mammoth, the European jaguar, the dodo or the Balinese tiger, but there are many more and in this post we have compiled up to 50 that until not long ago they lived among us.
For centuries the human being was content to study the animal kingdom and did not understand the need to preserve it. Only in the last one hundred years can be found evidence of many species that have disappeared because their habitat changed drastically or were hunted.
On the other hand, many consider that this process is imminent since entire species have been extinct through the centuries without human intervention. From the megafauna there are cases of extinction that strengthen the theory of"the law of natural selection"and the idea of "survival of the fittest."
It is important to remember that animals that have disappeared completely (EX) or that no longer live in their natural habitat are considered extinct and only some live specimens remain in captivity (EW). Some extinct animals and the causes of their extinction are:
Top 50 extinct animals
1- Mammoth
They were animals that lived in different climatic zones, very similar to the elephants but with curved tusks and much longer. The mammoths that inhabited the warm earth had the largest ears, while the cold-weather ones were furrier.
Thanks to rock painting, it has been discovered that mammoths were bent back probably due to a hump of fat. In prehistory humans hunted mammoths and used their fangs to make ornaments and weapons, but it is considered that these animals were extinguished by a set of factors.
Among them is climate change. There were numerous subspecies of mammoths that is why it is difficult to determine when they were definitively extinct since some subspecies extinguished first than others.
Spix's Macaw
This bird is extinct in its wild habitat, plus several specimens still live in zoos around the world. She is originally from Brazil. His coat is blue and the wings of his tail are black. In the animated films Rio and Rio 2 the main characters Blu and Pearl are macaws. It is hoped that someday these birds can be reintroduced into their natural habitat.
3- Black Rhinoceros of West Africa
This subspecies of black rhinoceros was considered the rarest of all. In September 2011 it was declared officially extinct since the scientific expeditions could not find any in its natural habitat in Cameroon, in addition there is no copy of the animal in captivity. The rhinoceros became extinct due to hunting.
4- Irish moose or giant deer
These animals lived for half a million years and are considered the deer (family of the animal kingdom of deer and deer) larger. They lived throughout Europe and Asia, but as most specimens have been found in Ireland, so the scientific community baptized them as Irish.
5- Monk Seal of the Caribbean
This Caribbean mammal, of the family of the Fócidos, was declared extinct in 1994 after multiple scientific expeditions failed in its search. It could measure up to 2.40 meters in length and weigh up to 130 kg.
The first recorded contact with this animal was Christopher Columbus, although logically this animal was known by the native peoples of America. Spanish settlers hunted this animal to use their body fat and their skin. Although the animal is considered extinct periodically in Jamaica and Haiti say to have seen it.
Its only predators were the Caribbean shark and the man. It was extinguished due to indiscriminate hunting, although in the 20th century it was also affected by the contamination of Caribbean waters.
6- Megatherium Americanum
This gigantic animal of the Pleistocene lived in territories of the American continent. In Argentina most fossils have been found. The first was found by Fray Manuel de Torres in 1795. Nowadays this place has become a Museum.
It is considered that this animal was extinguished during the last glacianción 12-10,000 years ago. His bones were much stronger than those of a modern elephant. His closest living relative is considered to be the lazy. The French naturalist George Cuvier developed the scientific description of this giant.
7- Caracara de Guadalupe
This bird, an extinct member of the genus Caracara, was endemic to the island of Guadalupe in Mexico. It was considered an evil bird by the first settlers of the island. It was extinguished in the 20th century due to hunting and poisoning.
The last specimen was hunted by Rollo Beck, who added it to his collection of stuffed animals. There are other specimens dissected in the Museums of Chicago, Washington and London. It is known of another example that lived in captivity until 1903.
This species was intentionally eliminated, since it was a bird raptor goat hunter and the farmers did not want to lose their production.
8- The traveling pigeon
The last specimen of traveling dove died at the Cincinnatti Zoo in 1914. This native bird of North America became extinct due to its indiscriminate hunting since colonial times was a source of meat, feathers and fat for settlers.
By the year 1880, the effects of hunting were already remarkable and the population had declined irreversibly. Due to the lack of a conservation policy these animals became extinct first in their wild habitat and then in captivity.
9- Dove of Bonin or Columba versicolor
Endemic of the Bonin archipelago, in Japan. This bird was discovered thanks to four specimens collected the first of 1827 and the last of 1889.
It was extinguished at the end of the 19th century according to research. The causes were deforestation, depredation suffered by introduced fauna and hunting. These birds had beautiful fur. His last sighting dates from 1889. His eggs were vulnerable and predated by rats and cats.
10- The marsupial wolf or Tasmanian wolf
Native to Australia and New Guinea, this carnivore was extinguished in the 20th century. One of the causes of its extinction was the diseases of the dogs, of which the marsupial wolf was contagious. The Tasmanian Devil is considered his closest relative alive. This animal hunted at night and was very dangerous.
Only one case of their breeding in captivity is known and it is perhaps for this reason that little is known of them. It was exclusively carnivorous and its muscular mass allowed it to be very resistant.
Although this animal has been declared extinct, there are cases of witnesses who claim to have seen it and even in Australia has been offered rewards to anyone who can prove that the animal still exists.
In 1999, the Australian Museum in Sydney initiated a project for its cloning. The results of this project have not yet been published.
11- Giant Flock or Pinguinus impennis
This"penguin"was the largest of the alcas. They lacked the ability to fly but were good swimmers. They were called"penguins"because of their similar fur. It was usually seen by sailors in cold waters.
He was also extremely friendly and allowed himself to be caught. It became a regular prey for collectors of stuffed animals. Their indiscriminate hunting led the species to extinction. It could have a meter of height and weighed up to 5 kilograms.
As its population declined, its habitat was reduced to Iceland. In 1844 the last two wings were hunted and offered to the Danish crown for a reward.
12- Scott's horse
It was a species of the genus Equus, native of North America. It is considered to have died out during the Pleistocene. Their disappearance coincided with the extinction of megafauna (animals with a very large size that could weigh up to 100 kg).
It owes its name to William Berryman Scott, who described it scientifically. Fossils of this animal have been found in several localities of the United States and one specimen in Chile.
13- European Jaguar
This carnivorous mammal lived 1.5 million years ago and is the oldest known jaguar species in Europe. This animal is related to the contemporary jaguar, lion and tiger.
Fossils of this animal have been found in Germany, Spain, England, France and the Netherlands.
14- The giant pigeon of Viti Levu
This extinct species of pigeon inhabited Viti Levu, the largest island of the Republic of Fiji. The scientist T.H. Worthy described this bird scientifically in his work A giant flightless pigeon gene. Et sp. nov. And a new species of Ducula (Aves: Columbidae), from Quaternary deposits in Fiji .
The remains of this bird were found in 1998 and the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand has the unique holotype of the species.
15- The Balinese tiger
This endemic subspecies of Bali, Indonesia was extinguished in 1937. In the 20th century with the arrival of a wave of people to the island of Bali, the hunt for this tiger increased. The hunting of these animals was a sport for Western tourists.
Since the 1970s this species is considered extinct. Perhaps his closest relative is the Java tiger. Because both species are good swimmers, the animals stayed in contact.
16- The giant rat of Gran Canaria
This species was endemic to the Canary Islands. Fossil remains of these rodents are found in the Museum of Nature and the Man of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
These rodents could reach up to 25 centimeters. Among the causes of extinction are human activity and the introduction of cats by humans, since previously the rodents did not have any common predator among the endemic fauna of the islands.
17- Craugastor chrysozetetes
This species of frog or toad was endemic to Honduras. In the 90's it was declared in danger of extinction but unfortunately the necessary measures were not taken for its conservation. Multiple expeditions have tried to find specimens of this species, but their search has yielded no results.
This is why in 2004 the species was declared extinct. Among the causes of extinction are climate change and the loss of their natural habitat. Chytridiomycosis, a disease affecting toads and frogs, is also thought to be a cause of population decline.
18- The wide-faced kangaroo rat
This endemic animal from Australia was a rare marsupial species. In 1839 the first specimen of this animal was discovered and was considered to be a rare animal of limited population.
The English naturalist and ornithologist John Gould, in his work Birds of Australia , Scientifically described this species. Its habitat is unknown. It is considered that its population was reduced due to the settlements of European settlers. In 1875 the last specimens of this animal were found.
19- The Eastern Ualabí
This endemic species of southeastern Australia was extinguished in 1889, when the last female died. This marsupial was fed on grasses, grass and ferns. His behavior was similar to that of the hare.
According to John Gould, this species was able to jump very high and in one of the encounters of this naturalist with her, the Ualabí jumped over his head.
It is considered that this animal was extinguished due to its competition with the cattle, that was introduced by colones in Australia.
20- La Caloenas maculata
The pigeon of Liverpool has been baptized thanks to the unique specimen of this animal that exists, is exhibited in the National Museum of Liverpool. DNA tests determined the family to which this animal belonged.
John Latham at work A General Synopsis of Birds Mentioned this bird for the first time and Johann Friedrich Gmelin was the first to describe it. Thanks to its name, it has been suggested that this bird may have been collected from Tahiti, since its natives mentioned the"tití"bird, whose description is similar to that of the dove.
21- The Eclectus infectus
This extinct species inhabited possibly in Tonga, Vanuatu and Fiji. The specimens found had their skeleton almost complete, which allowed David William Steadman to describe this animal in 2006.
The species is considered extinct in Tonga 3000 years ago due to human activity. On the other hand, the species may have survived on other islands, as the Italian explorer Alejandro Malaspina described a similar bird during his expeditions in 1788-1794.
22- The unicolor oyster canary
Endemic bird of Canary Islands, is considered that it was extinguished in the middle of Century XX. The drastic decrease of its population began in the 10 years of the last century. This animal lived on rocky things and could reach up to 45 cm.
It was difficult to differentiate the sexes since their coat did not differ, whereas the coat of males and females in other birds usually differs. It is considered that its coloration was a form of camouflage against the predators.
23- Horny beast
This species of salmon that lived in France and Switzerland was declared extinct in 2013 but was last seen in its natural habitat in 1920. It fed on insects and migrated during its gestation period.
It lived in rivers and lakes and could have up to 55 centimeters. His flesh was consumed by humans. In 1950 Emile Dottrens described the species scientifically.
24- Ascension Trail
Endemic bird of Ascension Island. It was drawn in 1656 by Peter Mundy. He lived in desert areas and his diet consisted of eggs. It is probable that it has been extinguished when arriving the rats to the island, since these competed by the eggs.
In 1815 the wild cats were introduced to the island and this date is considered as the total extinction. In 2003 a new genus Mundia was created for this bird, since analysis determined that this one was not part of the family of Tristan da Cunha (Atlantisia rogersi) as previously believed.
25- The coot of Mascareñas or Fulica newtonii
This species of Focha lived in the Mascarene Islands of the Indian Ocean. The last mention of these coots dates from 1667 when Francois Martin, commissioner of the French Indian women, considered that its flavor was not very pleasant, besides mentioning that the bird already was rare.
This coot was larger than its relative the coot. It could have up to 45-50 centimeters. The first fossil of this animal was found in 1866.
26- The guan or fox-wolf of the Falklands
This extinct carnivore was the only mammal endemic to the Falkland Islands. The name guará was given by the Rio Grande do Sul gauchos. This animal was about 90 centimeters in length, its coat was copious and its color peculiar.
According to a DNA study his closest living relative is the aguará guazú or maned wolf, which is an animal endemic to South America. Their diet is unknown, since in the fallows did not inhabit other mammals, many scientists consider that the guará hunted penguins and geese.
When the human being settled in the island, the guará was dedicated to hunt the cattle, especially the sheep. In 1833 Charles Darwin predicted the extinction of the guará, since at that time its population diminished quickly. It is considered to have been extinguished in 1876, but some specimens were embalmed in the hope of cloning them in the future.
27- The dodo or dronte
Endemic bird of the Mauritius island in the Indian Ocean. It was extinguished in the seventeenth century due to human activity. This bird could be up to one meter tall, its beak was long and its coat grayish. It was discovered in the 16th century by Spanish explorers, who brought a copy to Europe.
The Portuguese baptized these birds as dodo, which means"stupid". Another theory is that the name is due to the word dodoor which means"loafer"in Dutch. Due to the introduction of cattle on the island by the European conquerors, the dodos lost their natural habitat and its population began to diminish.
The dodo is an important cultural reference, in addition the history of its extinction turned it into an example of how the human influence can cause the extinction of the species.
28- Cape Blue Antelope
This endemic mammal from South Africa became extinct in 1799/1800. This species had a very limited habitat, so its population was not very high. After their discovery by the settlers, these brought with them cattle that competed with the antelope by the territory.
His coat was not blue, but brown, so the reason for his name is unknown. This antelope was small compared to other species of the Bovidae family. Its taxonomic description is not reliable because this species has not been sufficiently studied.
29- Amsterdam Duck
This non-flying bird is known by fossils found and by historical sources. It was endemic to the island of Amsterdam in the French southern territories and was extinguished because it was consumed by the whalers who visited the island.
The explorer John Barrow relates that during his visit to the island of St. Paul in 1793, he saw"a small brown duck, not much larger than a thrush"which was"the favorite food of the five seal hunters living on the island" .
30- Little flying fox of Mauritius or Rougette
This type of bat, endemic of the Mascareñas Islands, was extinguished in Century XIX. There are various specimens dissected in Paris, London and other museums.
According to a description of the Island, written in 1772 these bats were typical and their population was high. But they hunted for their flesh and fat.
If at the beginning of the colonial era it was typical to find colonies of 300-400 bats in a cave, by the end of the 18th century it was rare to see them fly in the day.
31- Western rabipelate kangaroo
This kangaroo species became extinct in Australia in the mid-20th century. This marsupial was predated by the foxes and the cats introduced by the settlers. Australia is the island that has suffered most due to introduced animals.
The introduced rabbits changed the habitat completely, which deprived the kangaroos of their means of feeding. The last specimen was trapped in 1927 or 1928 and was then taken to the Taronga Zoo. Upon dying his remains were exhibited at the Australian Museum.
32- The Marquinho's sausage
This mammal was extinguished in the Island Hispaniola with the arrival of the Europeans in Century XV and XVI. I was a member of the family Solenodontidae , Who lived in the islands of the Antilles.
Only 4 species are known, among them Marquín's almiquí. They are family of rats and rodents. These nocturnal mammals fed on insects. Its elongated snout is similar to that of the shrews. Her bite was poisonous.
33- The pig foot bandicut
This Australian boil was extinguished in the middle of the 20th century. Thomas Mitchell in 1836 captured the first specimen near the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers. Few scientists had the opportunity to see this animal so not know much of it.
Its size was similar to that of a cat, lived in different habitats and was characterized by having very thin legs with few fingers. The fox and the rabbit are considered their main exterminators.
34- Geocapromys thoracatus or swan of the Swan Islands
This rodent species was endemic to the Swan Islands of Honduras and the introduction of rats is considered to be the cause of extinction. It is considered that this species may be related to the Jamaican jut or Geocapromys browni.
This species lived in caves and moved slowly. In the twentieth century were still jutías but after Hurricane Janet and the introduction of cats, disappeared completely.
35- The bishop or Oo of Molokai
This species endemic to the mountainous forests of Molokai Island in Hawaii was extinguished in 1904. Ornithologist George Campbell Munro met the last specimen.
After this, the scientist tried unsuccessfully to find other specimens. The destruction of their habitat is the cause of their disappearance.
Its length was 29 centimeters and its black plumage had yellow tufts on the chin and under the wings. Native Hawaiian people hunted this bird for its plumage that was worn in noble outfits.
36- Delcourt Gecko
In the mid-nineteenth century, this giant gecko species became extinct. Its last appearance dates from 1870, when it was seen by a native of the Maori tribe. In the only specimen of this animal that has been preserved, it was found in the basement of the Museum of Marseille in 1983.
No one knows who brought it and how. It was discovered by Alain Delcourt, to whom the animal owes its name. In New Zealand there are other species of gecko, but this one was distinguished by its size of up to 370 millimeters.
37- Ameiva of Guadalupe the ameiva cineracea
It is a species of endemic lizard of the Island of Guadalupe, whose specimens were collected and discovered by the Europeans.
Its fossil remains can be found in a relatively limited area of the Island, which leads to think that this species was already extinct or that its population was scarce before the colonial period. It is considered to be definitively extinguished due to the impacts of a hurricane in 1928.
38- Bilbí menor
In the 20th century this species was considered endemic to the Great Sandy Desert and the Gibson Desert in Australia, but recent evidence suggests that it inhabited more widespread areas.
This marsupial is considered extinct from the years 50-60. It was a nocturnal animal that fed on other rodents, roots, ants and plants. The introduced predators eliminated the species, although the Bilbi was a rather aggressive and tenacious animal.
It was discovered in 1887 in the Gibson Desert and in 1931 many specimens were captured in Cooncherie, where its population was high.
39- Mauritius Giant Tortoise
In the 18th century, the last mention of this giant turtle endemic to Mauritius was recorded. This species was numerous in the island, but its population decreased due to the change in its natural habitat. According to historical sources this species was friendly and readily came into contact with humans.
Rats, cats and pigs introduced by settlers ate the eggs of the turtles, so more than they were hunted, the turtles died from their inability to reproduce. Since turtles usually leave their eggs, most do not care for their young.
40- Tana partridge pigeon
This endemic bird of Tana, Vanuatu was possibly extinct in the nineteenth century. Only two specimens of this pigeon are known and none have been preserved. The best known, dating to the second voyage of James Cook by the South Seas 1774, was a female painted by Georg Forster in Tana.
His scientific description was then made on the basis of drawing. This painting is exhibited at the Natural History Museum in London. This specimen was lost. The other, who belonged to the Joseph Banks collection exhibited at the Natural History Museum in London, was male.
Due to limited information little is known about their food, habitat or the causes of their extinction.
41- Microgoura meeki
It is a bird endemic to the Solomon Islands. He had a bluish tuft on the head that distinguished him. Walter Rothschild scientifically described this bird in 1904. The American Museum of Natural History preserves a drawing of the bird.
Albert Stewart Meek hunted several specimens of the bird he later sold to the Natural History Museum. Because of this, Rothschild named the bird in honor of Stewart Meek. His wings, tail and back were brown, the tail had purple glitter and his legs were red-purple.
42- Japanese Wolf
This gray wolf subspecies inhabited the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in Japan. It is considered extinct not only by loss of habitat due to the influence of man, but the wolf population was infected with an epidemic of rabies.
The last specimen died in Nara in 1905. In Japanese mythology the wolf played a special role for that reason this species is remembered by the population. There are several specimens dissected in Museums, such as the British Museum.
43- Golden Toad
Endemic of Monteverde, Costa Rica. This toad was declared extinct in 1989. The extinction of this anuran amphibian is due to the climatic change that affected its habitat. Their skin was fluorescent and the females were larger than the males.
They lived underground, so little is known about their behavior. Martha Crump describes her mating process in her book"In Search of the Golden Frog."
Due to the effects of El Niño, a climatic and atmospheric phenomenon affecting the American countries, the measures taken to save the golden frog were not effective.
44- Lesser koa finch
This endemic bird of Kona, Hawaii was described in the book Birds of Hawaii I written by George Munro. In 1892 when scientifically described were already scarce. It is not known what the cause of its extinction was. His chest and belly were yellow, but his other coat was of green tones. There are some specimens in the museums of New York and London.
45- Carolina parrots
It was the only native species of parrots in North America. In 1918 the last specimen in captivity died in the Cincinnati Zoo. It is considered that these birds were infected with diseases characteristic of poultry, which reduced their population considerably.
Other causes of extinction are hunting, extermination by man and invasive species and deforestation.
46- Mexican brown bear
These bears lived in northern Mexico, in temperate grasslands and pine forests. In the sixteenth century the first European settlers came into contact with them. The bears were considered a plague because they hunted the cattle of the settlers. For this reason they were hunted and by 1930 there were only 30 specimens remaining.
The American biologist Dr. Carl B. Koford organized expeditions to try to find a specimen, without success. Despite being considered extinct, in Mexico from time to time arise rumors about woodcutters who claim to have seen them.
47- Zither of Lake Atitlán or macá de Atitlán
This species of Guatemalan bird became extinct in the 20th century. In the 60's was studied and published its scientific description and other research on it. Crabs were her favorite delicacy. Fishing and tourism contributed to its extinction.
48- Schomburgk's Stag
Endemic to central Thailand this deer species became extinct in 1938, when a specimen that was the mascot of a temple died. In Thailand, France and Germany unsuccessful breeding programs were organized.
Hunting for their horns and skin are the main reason for their extinction. In 1991 a deer ornament was discovered in Laos, leading to the belief that some herds may have survived in the neighboring country.
49- Rheobatrachus silus
This species of frog inhabited in Australia and was extinguished in 1981. It is considered one of the most interesting frog species since it incubated its eggs in its stomach.
The University of New Wales has unsuccessfully tried to clone this animal. The exact reason for its extinction is not known. Its last investigations date back to the 80s. In 2002 it was declared extinct.
50- Lanai Drepano
Endemic bird of Lanai, Hawaii. She was the only representative of the genre Dysmorodrepanis . It is considered that the policy of deforesting the forest to develop pineapple plantations led to the disappearance of the natural habitat of this bird. His last sightings date back to the 10th century.
The bird was described by George Munro. On its feeding it is known that it ate fruits of water. The only surviving specimen of the bird is exhibited in Honolulu at the Bernice P. Bishop Museum.