Animals that have become extinct in the last 100 years. Animals: those that are not and those that will not be
Internet marketer, editor of the site "In an accessible language"
Date of publication: 12/05/2017
Have you ever seen Bali tiger or marsupial wolf? Most likely no…
It’s a shame, but there will no longer be a chance to see these amazing animals live, since they were recently declared extinct.
Despite all the efforts of organizations to protect endangered animals, some species are periodically listed as extinct and many are on the verge of extinction. The main culprit in the disappearance of animals in our time is man.
Today we will tell you about 15 striking representatives of the fauna that became extinct quite recently, literally over the last 100 years.
Considered extinct since 1922.
The Barbary lion lived in North African semi-deserts, steppes and forests, and was also common in the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa.
The main distinguishing features of the predator are its very thick mane and large size. Male Barbary lions weighed from 160 to 250 kilograms, females weighed an order of magnitude less - from 100 to 170 kg. The mane of the Barbary lion grew not only on the neck and head, it went far beyond the shoulders and also grew on the stomach.
In ancient Rome, entertaining competitions involving the Barbary lion were common; his opponent was usually the Turanian tiger, which also became extinct.
The reason for the extinction of the subspecies is considered to be targeted extermination due to frequent attacks by Barbary lions on livestock; the number of predators decreased especially strongly after they began to use firearms for shooting.
The last Barbary lion was killed in 1922 in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
Considered extinct since 1927.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Syrian kulan was widespread on the Arabian Peninsula, living in deserts, semi-deserts, dry meadows and mountain steppes. Lived in Syria, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
The main component in the diet of the Syrian kulan was grass, leaves of bushes and trees.
The Syrian kulan was one of the smallest representatives of horses, its height at the withers was only one meter. Also his to distinctive features The color of the kulan's fur can be attributed to changing depending on the season: in summer, the color of the kulan's fur was olive, and in winter it acquired a sandy and even pale yellow color.
The last wild member of the subspecies was shot in 1927 near the Azraq oasis in Jordan, and the last captive specimen died the same year at the Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria.
3. Marsupial wolf (thylacine)
Considered extinct since 1936.
Marsupial wolves at the New York Zoo, 1902. The marsupial wolf (or Tasmanian wolf) is the only representative of this family that survived into the historical era.
The thylacine was the largest marsupial predator of our time, its weight was 20-25 kg, its height at the withers reached 60 centimeters, and its body length was 1-1.3 meters (with a tail - 1.5-1.8 m).
It is known that in ancient times (the end of the Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene) stylacine lived on the territory of mainland Australia, as well as on the island of New Guinea; about 3000 years ago, marsupial wolves were forced out of their territory by dingo dogs, brought there by people from Southeast Asia.
In historical times, marsupial wolves lived only on the island of Tasmania - where dingoes did not penetrate.
The reason for the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf, as in a number of other cases, is mass extermination by humans. The marsupial wolf was considered the main enemy of Tasmanian farmers; it attacked sheep and ravaged poultry houses. In the 30s of the 19th century, mass hunting of predators began; the authorities gave rewards to hunters for the head of each killed animal.
After prolonged shooting, the number of thylacines decreased; rare specimens were found only in hard-to-reach areas. In addition to shooting, severe damage to the population of Tasmanian wolves was caused by a viral disease that flared up at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1914, there were only a few marsupial wolves.
The last marsupial wolf to live in wildlife was killed on May 13, 1930, and in 1936 the last individual kept at a private zoo in Hobart died of old age.
In March 2017, the media reported that animals similar to the thylacine were caught on video traps in Cape York Park. For reasons of keeping the animal's habitat secret, the photographs were not presented to the public. There was no official confirmation that it was the marsupial wolf that was captured.
Considered extinct since 1937.
Illustration: ru.wikipedia.org Gray's kangaroos lived in the south and southeast of Australia. Individuals of this species could be found on open spaces next to the eucalyptus forests in which these animals hid during the rains.
The animal was named in honor of Sir George Gray, who served as Governor of South Australia from 1812 to 1898.
Like other members of the kangaroo family, Gray's kangaroos ate plant foods, mainly the foliage of bushes and trees.
The main cause of extinction is considered to be poaching - people hunted kangaroos for their fur and meat. In addition, scientists believe that the reason for the population decline wild kangaroos Gray are attacks on us by predatory animals.
Gray's last wild kangaroo was killed in 1924, and the last individual living in the national park died in 1937.
Declared extinct in 1937.
Photo: animalreader.ru The Bali tiger lived exclusively on the island of Bali (Indonesia); most often this representative of the cat could be found in local forests.
The Bali tiger was one of the smallest representatives of the tiger species. The weight of males was 90-100 kg, females were slightly smaller, their weight rarely exceeded 80 kg, usually 65-75 kg. The body length of adult males was in the region of 120-230 centimeters, females - from 93 to 183 cm.
The lifespan of Bali tigers is 8-10 years.
After the killing of the first Bali tiger in 1911, representatives of this subspecies began to be of interest to hunters. Due to the relatively small area of habitat of these animals, Bali tigers were very quickly exterminated.
The last female was killed in the western part of the island. The subspecies was officially declared extinct in 1937.
Considered extinct since 1938.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Schomburgk's deer lived in central Thailand in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. It could be found on swampy plains overgrown with bushes, reeds and tall grass.
During the rainy season and floods, Schomburgk's deer left the marshy areas and rose to higher ground, becoming easy prey for hunters.
Representatives of this species were named after the British consul in Bangkok, Sir Robert Schomburgk, who worked there from 1857 to 1864.
According to scientists, the main reason for the extinction of the Schomburgk's deer is the development of the infrastructure of cities located near the animals' habitats. The draining of swamps and the construction of roads and enterprises have virtually destroyed the habitats of this animal. In addition, hunters and poachers made their “contribution” to the disappearance of this species.
It is known that the last Schomburgk's deer living in the wild was killed in 1932, and the last individual living in the zoo died in 1938.
Considered extinct since 1950.
Photo: Harvard Museum of Natural History/Peabody Museum The island hutia lived exclusively on the island of Little Cisne in the Caribbean Sea (territory of Gohonduras). Due to the fact that the base of the island on which the Huti lived consists mainly of coral rock, these animals, as a rule, could not dig holes, so they settled in the crevices of the coral rock.
Representatives of the species were herbivores. Their weight could reach one kilogram, and the body length of an adult was 33-35 centimeters. The sizes of males practically did not differ from the sizes of females.
It is believed that the island's Hutias were exterminated by cats brought to the island by people. The last mention of these creatures dates back to 1950.
The species has been considered extinct since 1952. It was officially declared extinct only in 2008.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Caribbean monk seal was the only representative of the seal genus to live in the Caribbean Sea. They could be found on sandy beaches, as well as reef lagoons.
Caribbean monk seals were last seen in the western Caribbean Sea in 1952, from that moment on they were never seen again. During an expedition conducted in the Caribbean in 1980, scientists did not find a single monk seal.
According to zoologists, the main reason for the extinction of Caribbean monk seals is negative impact human activities on the environment.
Considered extinct since the 1960s.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Mexican grizzly lived in forests and could be found in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila and Northern Durango in Mexico; in addition, individuals of this species were also found in the United States - in the states of Arizona and New Mexico.
The last time a live Mexican grizzly was seen was in 1960.
The extinction of Mexican grizzlies is associated with uncontrolled hunting of them, as well as with human development of the habitats of these animals.
In 1959, the Mexican government banned hunting of Mexican grizzlies, but this measure was too late and did not help save the population.
Considered extinct since 1974.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Japanese sea lion lived in the Sea of Japan on the west and east coasts of Japan, as well as on the east coast of Korea.
In addition, it could be found on the Ryukyu Island (Japan), on the southern coast of the Russian Far East, on the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and in the south of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Sea of Okhotsk.
The main reason for the extinction of the Japanese sea lion is considered to be hunting and persecution by fishermen.
Scientists estimate that in the 19th century the population of Japanese sea lions numbered from 30 to 50 thousand individuals. Uncontrolled hunting of them and development of their habitats has led to a terrifying reduction in their numbers. The last reliable information about 50-60 individuals was obtained in 1951, when a small population was discovered on the Liancourt Islands.
The last time a Japanese sea lion was seen was in 1974 on the coast of the small island of Rebun. Since that time, no one has seen these animals again.
11. Canarian Black Oystercatcher
Declared extinct in 1994.
Photo: fishki.net The Canary Black Oystercatcher lived in West Africa on the Atlantic coast. This bird also suffered at the hands of humans. It is worth noting that people did not hunt this bird, but still brought it to starvation.
As the famous proverb says: until thunder strikes, a man will not cross himself. It perfectly suits the current situation in global ecology. It is over the last 50 years that humanity has become especially active on the path to environmental disaster.
In total, 30% of all known resources of the planet are this moment already spent. Many natural minerals as well as reserves clean water and food are on the verge of running out. Meanwhile, the planet's population continues to grow steadily. In the last 50 years alone, humanity has destroyed 90% of the world's large commercial fish stocks.
The world's oceans and its inhabitants.
22% of known ocean fishing grounds are completely depleted or overexploited, and another 44% are on the verge of depletion. Totally agree last years In the North Atlantic, commercial stocks of cod, hake, sea bass and flounder have declined by 95%. Research on commercial fish production, published in 2006 in the journal Science, grimly predicted that if fishing continues at its current rate, the world's entire fishing industry will collapse in 2048 because there simply won't be any more fish left in the world. 
But overfishing is scary not so much in itself as because of its monstrous consequences. Catching edible species fish, every year 27 million tons of other living creatures are thrown back into the sea from nets - as a rule, already in a non-viable state. Food chains are disrupted, resulting in the extinction before our eyes of entire species of birds and mammals, whose main diet was that same fish. In addition, the seabed in many areas of the ocean is so trawled that nothing can live on it. 
Coral reefs are the most diverse aquatic system on Earth and are suffering from overfishing, pollution, epidemic diseases and rising temperatures. At least 19% of corals have already been lost, and another 15% will be lost in the next 20 years. And if no action is taken, then in 100 years there will not be a single coral left on the planet. 
Forests and freshwater lakes.
Over the past 50 years, humans have destroyed 70% of the world's forests. And 30% of those that still remain are fragmented into pieces and degrading. Deforestation occurs at a rate of almost 130 square kilometers per year. Over the past 10 years alone, the world's forest area has decreased by 1.4 million square kilometers. For comparison: the area of all forests in Russia is 8.5 million square kilometers. The highest rate of deforestation is now observed in developing tropical countries such as Nigeria, Mexico, India, Thailand, Laos, Congo and others. 
Why is forest destruction dangerous? First of all, the impact on the atmosphere and the strengthening of the greenhouse effect. About a third of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions come from deforestation. Through nutrition from the roots and subsequent evaporation through the leaves, it is the forests that ensure the stable transfer of moisture from the oceans to the centers of the continents to fill rivers, swamps and groundwater. There will be no forests - the central parts of the continents will turn into deserts.
Along with forests, more than 45 thousand lakes were destroyed. 
Animal world.
Over the past half century, man has destroyed a quarter of all known species birds, and 11% of the remaining are on the verge of extinction. Just think about it: 40% of all currently known organisms on the planet belong to the class of endangered. Current extinction rates are estimated to be 10 to 100 times higher than any previous mass extinction period in Earth's history. There are cases where the extinction of species occurs literally in a matter of years - for example, Steller's cow. This mammal of the sirenian order was discovered in 1741, however, in less than 30 years, already in 1768, due to predatory hunting for tasty meat, these animals completely disappeared. 
Over the past ten thousand years, humanity's impact on the environment has led to the extinction of many beautiful animals. In this article you will learn facts about ten interesting creatures that have already disappeared. Animals died out en masse in two stages, the first was about ten thousand years ago, and the second was five hundred years ago. Each time, many small animals became extinct, but the incredible large creatures attract much more attention. For each extinct species, the approximate date of its extinction is added.
These extinct giants once lived throughout northern Europe. They have little in common with existing species of moose, so they are more often called "giant deer." These animals could reach a two-meter span at the shoulders and weighed seven centners. They had large horns several meters wide. They appeared four hundred thousand years ago, and disappeared five thousand years ago. Most likely, the cause was human hunters. However, it is also possible that the disappearance of ice led to the appearance of other plants, which caused a shortage of essential minerals. For example, it takes a lot of calcium to grow such impressive antlers.
Quagga, 1883
Half zebra and half horse, this creature was a subspecies of zebra that appeared approximately two hundred thousand years ago. They became extinct in the nineteenth century. Quaggas lived in South Africa and got their name because of the sound they made, according to the onomatopic principle. They were destroyed in 1883 in order to acquire land for agriculture.
Japanese wolf, 1905
These wolves lived on several Japanese islands. It was the rarest species of the family, only a meter in length and with a small shoulder span. When rabies appeared on the islands, the wolf population began to decline dramatically. They began to treat people more aggressively. As a result of deforestation and the subsequent loss of their habitat, they came into more contact with people, and they began to be deliberately destroyed until the last wolf was killed in 1905.
Giant Penguin, 1852
These creatures were very similar to modern penguins. They swam beautifully, stored fat for warmth, lived in large colonies and formed pairs for life. They had large curved beaks. Penguins could grow to almost a meter tall and lived in the north Atlantic until the nineteenth century. People began to hunt them to stuff pillows with valuable feathers. Then they were caught to be used as bait for fishing, as well as for food. When they became rare, museums and collectors wanted to collect stuffed animals, and so the penguins became extinct.
Pinta Island Turtles, 2012
This subspecies of giant tortoise lived in the Galapagos. Turtles have been hunted since the nineteenth century, and in the fifties of the twentieth century their habitat was destroyed. People tried to save the endangered turtles, but by 1971 only one male remained, nicknamed Lonesome George. Despite attempts to crossbreed him with representatives of other species, no eggs appeared, and he himself died in 2012. He was the last of his kind.
Steller's sea cow, 1768
These were huge herbivorous marine mammals, similar to seals. They were distinguished by their gigantic size: they could reach nine meters in length. They were discovered by Georg Wilhelm Steller, but thirty years after their discovery they were completely destroyed. This is because these animals were very calm and lived in shallow water. Their meat was eaten, their fat was used for food, and their skin was used for covering boats.
Smilodon, 10,000 BC
These saber-toothed cats lived in Northern and South America at the end of the Ice Age. They appeared about two and a half million years ago. Large creatures could reach four hundred kilograms in weight, three meters in length and one and a half meters in shoulder span. Despite the fact that they were called tigers, they rather resembled bears. They had short and powerful legs, not designed for fast movement. The impressive incisors could reach thirty centimeters in length, but were quite fragile and were used to bite through the soft skin of a captured victim. Smilodon could open their mouths one hundred and twenty degrees, but their bite was quite weak. Smilodon hunted large animals: bison, deer and small mammoths. It was difficult for them to catch smaller animals. The disappearance of Smilodon is associated with the appearance of people in these regions, who destroyed many species of animals.
Woolly mammoth, 2000 BC
Woolly mammoths lived in the Arctic tundra regions of the northern hemisphere. They could reach several meters in height and weighed six tons, the same as modern ones. African elephants, although biologically they are closer to Asian. Unlike the latter, mammoths were covered with brown, black or red hair. In addition, they had short tails, which protected them from frostbite. Woolly mammoths had long tusks that they used to fight. People hunted them, in addition, they ate mammoth meat as food. However, it is most likely that these animals disappeared due to climate change at the end of the Ice Age. The retreat of the ice led to the disappearance of their habitat, and then hunters completed the situation. Most mammoths went extinct ten thousand years ago, but small populations remained in remote regions for another six thousand years.
Moa, 1400
Moas were huge birds that were unable to fly. They lived in New Zealand. They could reach almost four meters in height and weighed two hundred and thirty kilograms. Despite their incredible height, the structure of the birds' spines suggests that they craned their necks forward most of the time. Thanks to such a neck, they most likely produced low vibrating sounds. Moas were hunted by other birds, as well as members of the Maori tribe. In less than a hundred years after the discovery, people completely destroyed these birds.
Tasmanian tiger, 1936
The Tasmanian tiger was the largest marsupial predator of our era, appearing four million years ago. They became extinct in the thirties of the last century due to the fault of farmers who destroyed them due to the fact that the animals allegedly killed sheep and chickens. In addition, agriculture has reduced their habitat, and the spread of dogs has led to the emergence of various diseases. Amazing creatures lived in Tasmania, Australia and New Guinea, they could reach almost two meters in length from head to tail. Tasmanian tigers were on top food chain and at night they hunted kangaroos, possums and birds. Their jaws could open one hundred and twenty degrees and their stomachs stretched to accommodate enormous quantities of food, allowing them to survive in sparsely populated regions. These were extremely unusual marsupials, since both females and males had a pouch. The latter used it to protect their genitals while running in the grass.
Worth remembering
This list does not include many amazing creatures, such as Javan and Caspian tigers or cave lions. Of course, dodos also deserve mention. It is a tragic fact that human activity has led to the disappearance of such large quantity beautiful animals. It's terrible that this continues to this day. The price of hunting is known to everyone, but people continue to destroy animals. One can only hope that the list will not soon be replenished with many other species of animals.
Reading time approximately: 4 - 6 minutesHumanity has been developing for tens of thousands of years, adjusting the environment to suit its needs. And only in recent years have we begun to think about how detrimentally this very development is affecting nature. We have Red Data Books, the fight against poachers has intensified, nature reserves have opened, but animals continue to die out, and the main reason for this is still .
Why do animals go extinct?
The disappearance of old species and the appearance of new ones is quite natural process on the ground. For hundreds of thousands of years, extinction has occurred for various reasons, and recently humans have been added to these reasons. But first things first.
All previous periods of extinctions were associated with climate changes, the movement of tectonic plates, volcanic activity, collisions with celestial bodies, etc. The current (rapidly increasing) extinction of animals began about 100,000 years ago- just during the period of human settlement on Earth. Our distant ancestors unknowingly invaded ecosystems and destroyed the ecological balance by hunting, destroying habitats and spreading disease.
But then more, about 10,000 years ago we mastered agriculture and began to lead a sedentary lifestyle. By creating his settlements, man changed the local ecosystem to suit himself, which no other species has allowed itself in history. Because of this, some animals simply died, others moved to new territories and, again, displaced local species.
Habitat disturbance
For our own needs, we had to cut down forests, plow the land, drain swamps, create reservoirs - all this radically changed the habitat habitual for living organisms. Animals were deprived of their habitat where they obtained food and reproduced.
The usual habitats of animals become unsuitable largely due to... Pesticides, oil, phenols, metals, toxic and nuclear waste - all this contaminates the atmosphere, soil, oceans and, of course, negatively affects all inhabitants of the Earth.
All living things are interconnected, and the extinction of animals of one species often provokes other extinctions. This phenomenon is called "cumulative effect".
Example. In Malaysia, they decided to radically get rid of malaria mosquitoes by resorting to the use of the pesticide DDT. Mosquitoes are defeated - malaria is not scary! But there were also cockroaches there that were not exposed to DDT. The cockroaches were eaten by lizards, which were weakened by the pesticide. So the lizards became easy prey for cats, which caused the death of the latter. As a result, the number of rats, carriers of diseases comparable to malaria, has sharply increased in that region.
Excessive production
Today we use animal world not only as a source of food, but also for the extraction of raw materials and many needs that are not vital.
For the production of medicines, perfumes, cosmetics and some industrial products, raw materials are needed, namely animal raw materials. Officially, endangered animals are not used for these needs, but there is no law written for poachers.
Poaching and smuggling of animals is incredibly developed in all countries and causes irreparable damage to nature. So you knew that smuggling of animals and plants can be compared with smuggling of weapons and drugs? And, of course, we are not always talking about illegal trafficking rare animals in living form, and often about their valuable parts: bone, fur, etc.
A striking example of extinction due to overharvesting is the Dodo bird, which we will talk about later.
Impact of introduced species
There is such a concept "introduction" is human-intentioned and unintentional relocation different types animals outside their habitats. In other words, because of humans, new species began to appear where they had not existed before and should not exist. At the same time, introduced species, having no natural enemies in the new territory, begin to multiply and displace local inhabitants.
A classic example is the introduction of rabbits to Australia. They were brought there from England for sport hunting. The local climate was to the liking of the rabbits, and the local predators were not agile enough to hunt them. Therefore, the long-eared animals quickly multiplied and began to destroy entire pastures. To exterminate them, foxes were brought to Australia, but they began to hunt local marsupials, which only worsened the situation. With the help of a special virus, we managed to get rid of the rabbits.
Destruction to protect agricultural and fishing facilities
More than 20 species are at risk of extinction due to the fact that their representatives harm agriculture and fishing. These include predator birds, rodents, pinnipeds, monkeys, etc.
What animals and birds have become extinct recently?
Over the past 500 years 844 species of animals and birds became extinct. Let's remember some of them.
Dodos (Dodo)
These flightless birds lived in the Mascarene Islands and Mauritius. But the active colonization of these territories in the 17th century caused their rapid extinction. People are not only hunted Dodos immensely, but also brought in some predators (rats, cats, dogs), which also contributed.
These birds received the name “Dodo” (from Portuguese - “stupid”) from sailors. The fact is that in their habitat they had no enemies and were trusting of people. There was no particular need to hunt Dodos - they simply approached them and hit them on the head with a stick. And it was difficult for these birds to hide from danger, because... they could neither fly, nor swim, nor run fast.
The coat of arms of Mauritius features the Dodo
The largest representative of one of the subspecies of these birds reached 3.5 meters and weighed about 250 kg. They didn't have wings. Until the 16th century they lived in New Zealand, until they were completely exterminated by the aborigines.
Carolina parrot
This species was the only parrot that lived in North America. But this turned out to be unimportant and the Carolina parrot was exterminated, because harmed fields and fruit trees. They were last seen in the 1920s.
Another example when creatures unable to hide simply died from human onslaught. They flew poorly, or maybe they couldn’t fly at all. That's why hunting it was not difficult for them. Within 100 years of its discovery, the species had completely disappeared.
The last representative of this species died in 1936. It was the largest marsupial carnivore, living mainly on the island of Tasmania. Destroyed by man due to damage to agriculture.
By the way, they tried to clone the Tasmanian tiger using the DNA of puppies preserved in alcohol. But the project failed because... DNA could not be recovered.
The only place where these tigers lived was the island of Bali. With the appearance there firearms The locals began to take an interest in these cats hunters, and in 25 years they destroyed the entire species.
At one time, representatives of this subspecies of rhinoceros were distributed almost throughout Africa, but through the efforts poachers by the early 2000s, only a few individuals remained. In 2011, the last representative of this species passed away.
By the way, a number of scientists claim that about half of currently existing species will disappear within 100 years.
Lonesome George, the last of this species, died in 2012. These are huge land turtles were inhabitants of the Galopogo Islands. Many of them lived to be 200 years old. Unfortunately, these turtles were killed by proximity to people. Delicious meat and gorgeous shell - what hunter can resist this? It would seem that the ban on hunting was introduced in a timely manner, but poachers do not care about the laws...
This unusual animal, resembling a hybrid of a zebra and a horse, was common in South Africa. They were trusting and friendly, so taming the quagga was not difficult. They were exterminated because delicious meat and valuable skins. The last representative of the species died in 1883.
Declared extinct in 1964. Lived on the territory North America until it was completely exterminated by local farmers, because attacked livestock.
Be sure to watch the video, which tells about some more animals that became extinct due to our fault:
Animals in danger of extinction
Marsupials living in the eucalyptus forests of Australia. It is on the crowns of these trees that koalas spend most of their lives. In the 18th and 19th centuries they began to be killed because of their valuable thick fur. Millions of skins were exported annually. Fortunately, the Australian government stopped this madness in time, first limiting and then completely banning koala hunting.
Today, the population of these “cubs” is gradually recovering, but there is still a risk of extinction of the entire species. This is due to forest fires, deforestation and disease.
Ivory is highly prized throughout the world, and poachers, of course, know this. They are doing their best, despite international bans.
Annually the elephant population is declining by 30 thousand individuals. And for what? For the sake of producing jewelry and other useless things?!
Several centuries ago, cheetahs were common in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Today it is a representative of a purely African fauna. At the same time, single individuals are found mainly in protected areas. Local farmers see them only as pests that prey on livestock. Yes and poachers are interested in obtaining cheetah skins.
Today there are no more than 12 thousand individuals left in the world, while 100 years ago there were about 100,000 (!).
Found on the grassy plains between Kenya and Somalia, this antelope species suffers greatly from disease, predators and, of course, humans. We are gradually destroying the habitat of these animals, hunting them and depriving them of food by grazing herds of livestock.
Today the number of hirola does not exceed 1000 individuals. However, they are not kept in zoos or placed in nature reserves.
In nature, these monkeys are the closest relatives of humans. But this does not stop us from cutting down the forests where they live, and constantly hunt for them.
Today, the orangutan's range is limited to Borneo and Sumatra. Their total number is about 70 thousand, which is several times less than in the middle of the last century.
The orangutan is the smartest creature on Earth after humans, and in just 10 years it could completely disappear if the rate of extinction continues.
Outwardly, this animal resembles a large fluffy cat. True, he is quite ferocious in character and it is very difficult to tame the Pallas's cat. It is on the verge of extinction due to its valuable fur.
Today it is the world's largest lizard. Some representatives of the species reach 2 meters in length.
Their disappearance is associated with tourism, settlement of territories and the destruction of their usual food.
These sea animals are found off the northern shores Pacific Ocean. In the 18th and 19th centuries, sea otters began to be exterminated en masse because of valuable fur. Fortunately, the lawlessness was stopped through international efforts, and hunting them was banned almost everywhere.
Today the sea otter population is 88 thousand. However, its growth is not observed. There are a number of reasons for this environmental problems related to ocean pollution.
This is the largest land predator. There are about 25 thousand of them on the planet. In recent decades, despite attacks from poachers, the polar bear population has been relatively stable.
However, scientists are sounding the alarm, predicting the complete extinction of this species between 2050 and 2100. Reason – global warming, because of which the Arctic. And without them, polar bears cannot fully hunt.
By the way, polar bear- the only predator that tracks and hunts humans as ordinary prey.
What is being done to protect animals from extinction
First of all, hunting for certain species is regulated by law, both at the international and state levels. Our document is Federal Law “On the Animal World”.
The Red Book is used to record endangered animals. It is available in every country and also has an international version.
It should be mentioned that depending on the risk of extinction, certain species may have different protective status , proposed International Union Nature Conservation (IUCN):
- Extinct. This includes species that have completely disappeared (EX) and those that are no longer found in the wild - only in captivity (EW).
- Endangered. This category includes animals that in a few generations may completely disappear from the wild (CR), endangered (EN) and vulnerable species (VU).
- The risk is low. These include conservation-dependent (CD), near-threatened (NT) and least-threatened (LC).
Animals with status "Disappeared in the Wild" (EW) are one example of human attempts to preserve endangered species. Such animals can only be found in an artificially created environment, which are various zoological institutions. Unfortunately, several of these types have already been given up, because their representatives cannot give birth to offspring and simply live out their last days.
Nature reserves and sanctuaries are one of the most effective ways conservation of endangered animals. There are about 150 nature reserves in our country. In such areas, hunting, tree cutting, and sometimes human presence are prohibited.
In addition, there are also animals whose threat of extinction is simply not assessed for one reason or another. All these criteria are applied in the IUCN Red List.
A species is officially considered extinct when its last representative dies out. There is also a concept functional extinction– all remaining individuals can no longer reproduce, for example due to age or health conditions.
Who was saved from extinction?
Once common throughout North America, today it is a rare bird species. Their number does not exceed 150 individuals.
The condor was a prestigious game for hunters. It got to the point that in 1987 there were only 27 representatives of this species left. Fortunately, they managed to be placed in nature reserves, where they began to multiply quickly.
Most rare view wolves. They lived in the southeastern United States. They were exterminated mainly by farmers, unhappy that red wolves were attacking livestock and birds.
As of 1967, there were 14 representatives of the species left in the world. They were placed in captivity, and today the number of red wolves is 100 individuals.
Back in the 17th century, saigas were one of the most widespread species in Eurasia, but due to humans, their range was narrowed to the relatively small steppe regions of the southern Volga region, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.
Because of uncontrolled hunting Saiga antelopes were almost extinct by the beginning of the 19th century. But thanks to timely conservation measures, the population was restored and permission to hunt them again appeared. Their numbers again sharply decreased to a critical state.
Today there are about 50 thousand saigas left in the world. The set of measures to preserve the species includes strict suppression of poaching and ensuring the safety of the protected area.
The reason for the decline in panda numbers was mainly the destruction of their habitat when China's forests were cut down for human settlements and arable land.
Today, areas inhabited by pandas are under strict control and are protected areas. Poaching is punishable death penalty. However, despite good conditions habitat, the panda population is recovering slowly. Today there are about 500 individuals.
The reasons for its decline are poaching, destruction of natural habitats and erosion of the food supply.
Today, about 550 Amur tigers live in the protected areas of Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai. It is planned to resettle them in those places where they were exterminated - this will significantly increase the population.
These animals are no larger in size than an ordinary cat. They were well distributed on the islands near California until all eagles there were exterminated in the early 90s. These birds posed no danger to foxes and hunted only fish. The place of the eagles was soon taken golden eagles, who no longer hesitated to hunt foxes, and quickly destroyed almost the entire population.
The remaining foxes began to be raised in captivity until the golden eagles problem was resolved. Today the population has been restored and amounts to 3 thousand individuals.
This is the last representative of wild bulls in Europe. In the wild it completely destroyed by hunters. Fortunately, these animals were still kept in many zoos.
Thanks to the efforts of scientists, today bison have returned to the wild. Their total number close to 4 thousand individuals.
Conclusion
Despite all the efforts of conservationists, almost a third of species are at risk of extinction. In many ways, this happened because we realized it too late. Official prohibitions today are ignored by poachers who, for the sake of profit, will not hesitate to kill the last elephant or tiger. Much of the blame also lies with the end consumers of the “product” supplied by poachers, who are crazy about possessing the skulls of rare animals, wearing coats made of valuable fur, or rubbing “healing” fats into their skin.
Extinction is a natural process: typical species become extinct within 10 million years of their appearance on Earth. But today, when the planet faces a number of serious problems such as overpopulation, pollution environment, climate change, etc., species loss is occurring thousands of times faster than would occur naturally.
It is difficult to know exactly when certain species will disappear from the wild, but it is safe to say that thousands of animal species become extinct every year.
In this article, we take a look at the recently extinct animals that we will miss the most. From the Javan tiger and Caribbean monk seal to the Mauritian dodo (or dodo), here are 25 extinct ones we won't see again.
25. Madagascar pygmy hippopotamus
Once widespread on the island of Madagascar, the Madagascar pygmy hippopotamus was a close relative of the modern hippopotamus, although much smaller.
Initial estimates suggested that the species went extinct about a thousand years ago, but new evidence has shown that these hippos may have lived in the wild until the 1970s.
24. Chinese river dolphin
Known by many other names such as "baiji", "Yangtze River dolphin", "white-finned dolphin" or "Yangtze dolphin", the Chinese river dolphin was a freshwater dolphin native to the Yangtze River in China.
The population of Chinese river dolphins declined sharply by the 1970s as China began to intensively exploit the river for fishing, transport and hydroelectric power. The last known surviving Chinese river dolphin, Qiqi, died in 2002.
23. Long-eared kangaroo
Discovered in 1841, the long-eared kangaroo is an extinct species of the kangaroo family native to southeastern Australia.
It was a small animal, slightly larger and slimmer than its living relative, the red hare kangaroo. The last known specimen of this species was a female captured in August 1889 in New South Wales.
22. Javan tiger
Once common on the Indonesian island of Java, the Javan tiger was a very small subspecies of tiger. During the 20th century, the island's population increased manifold, leading to massive clearing of forests, which were converted into arable land and rice fields.
Habitat pollution and poaching have also contributed to the extinction of this species. The Javan tiger has been considered extinct since 1993.
21. Steller's cow
Steller's cow (or sea cow, or cabbage weed) is an extinct herbivorous marine mammal that was once abundant in the North Pacific Ocean.
It was largest representative sirenian order, which includes its closest living relatives - the dugong and the manatee. Hunting of Steller's cows for their meat, skin and fat led to their complete extermination within just 27 years of the species' discovery.
20. Taiwanese clouded leopard
The Taiwanese clouded leopard was once endemic to Taiwan and a subspecies of clouded leopards, rare Asian cats that were considered an evolutionary link between big and small cats.
Over-logging has destroyed the animals' natural habitat, and the species was declared extinct in 2004 after 13,000 camera traps showed no evidence of Taiwanese clouded leopards.
19. Red gazelle
The rufous gazelle is an extinct species of gazelle that is believed to have lived in the sediment-rich mountainous regions of North Africa.
This species is known to only three individuals, purchased at markets in Algeria and Oman, north of Algeria, at the end of the 19th century. These copies are kept in museums in Paris and London.
18. Chinese paddlefish
Sometimes also called "psefur", the Chinese paddlefish was one of the largest freshwater fish. Uncontrolled overfishing and destruction of natural habitat put the species at risk of extinction in the 1980s.
The last confirmed sighting of this fish was in January 2003 in the Yangtze River, China, and the species has since been considered extinct.
17. Labrador eider
The Labrador eider is believed by some scientists to be the first endemic bird species in North America to disappear after the Columbus Exchange.
It was already a rare bird before the arrival of European settlers, and became extinct soon after. The females were gray in color, while the males were black and white. The Labrador eider had an elongated head with small, beady eyes and a strong beak.
16. Iberian ibex
Once endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, the Iberian ibex was one of four subspecies of the Spanish ibex.
During the Middle Ages, the wild goat was abundant in the Pyrenees, but the population declined rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries due to uncontrolled hunting. In the second half of the 20th century, only a small population survived in this region, and in 2000 the last representative of this species was found dead.
15. Mauritian dodo, or dodo
is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius in Indian Ocean. According to subfossil remains, Mauritian dodos were about a meter tall and may have weighed up to 21 kg.
ABOUT appearance Mauritian dodos can only be judged from drawings, images and written sources, therefore the life-time appearance of this bird is not known for certain. The dodo is used in popular culture as a symbol of extinction and the gradual disappearance of a species.
14. Orange Toad
Orange toads were small toads, up to 5 cm long, that were formerly found in a small high-altitude region north of the city of Monteverde, Costa Rica.
The last living specimen of this animal was discovered in May 1989. Since then, no signs have been recorded confirming their existence in nature. The sudden disappearance of this beautiful frog may have been caused by a chytridiomycete fungus and extensive habitat loss.
13. Choiseul pigeon
Sometimes also referred to as the crested thick-billed pigeon, the Choiseul pigeon is an extinct species of pigeon that was endemic to Choiseul Island in the Solomon Islands, although there are unconfirmed reports that the species may have lived on some nearby islands.
The last documented sighting of the Choiseul pigeon was in 1904. It is believed that these birds became extinct due to predation by cats and dogs.
12. Cameroonian black rhinoceros
As a subspecies of the black rhinoceros - a critically endangered species of rhinoceros - the Cameroonian black rhinoceros was once widespread throughout many African countries, including Angola, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Chad, Rwanda, Botswana, Zambia and others, but irresponsible hunting and poaching had reduced the population of this amazing animal to just the last few individuals by 2000. In 2011, this subspecies of rhinoceros was declared extinct.
11. Japanese wolf
Also known as the Ezo wolf, the Japanese wolf is an extinct subspecies of the common wolf that once inhabited the coast of Northeast Asia. Its closest relatives were North American wolves rather than Asian ones.
The Japanese wolf was exterminated on the Japanese island of Hokkaido during the Meiji Restoration, when reforms in agriculture American style was accompanied by the use of strychnine baits to kill predators that posed a threat to livestock.
10. Caribbean monk seal
Nicknamed the “wolf of the sea,” the Caribbean monk seal was a large species of seal that inhabited the Caribbean. Excessive hunting of seals for oil and depletion of their food sources are the main reasons for the extinction of the species.
The last confirmed sighting of a Caribbean monk seal dates back to 1952. These animals were not seen again until 2008, when the species was officially declared extinct after a five-year search for survivors that came to nothing.
9. Eastern Puma
The eastern cougar is an extinct species of cougar that once lived in northeastern North America. The eastern cougar was a subspecies of the North American cougar, a large cat that inhabited much of the United States and Canada.
Eastern cougars were declared extinct by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011.
8. Great Auk
The great auk was a large flightless bird of the auk family that became extinct in the mid-19th century. Once widespread throughout the North Atlantic, from Spain, Iceland, Norway and Great Britain to Canada and Greenland, this beautiful bird was hunted to extinction by humans for its down, which was used to make pillows.
7. Tarpan
Also known as the Eurasian wild horse, the tarpan is an extinct subspecies of wild horse that once lived across much of Europe and parts of Asia.
Since tarpans were herbivores, their habitat was continuously decreasing due to the growing civilization of the Eurasian continent. Combined with the incredible extermination of these animals for their meat, this led to their complete extinction at the beginning of the 20th century.
6. Cape Lion
An extinct subspecies of lion, the Cape lion lived along the Cape Peninsula on the southern tip of the African continent.
This majestic big cat disappeared very quickly immediately after Europeans appeared on the continent. Dutch and English colonists and hunters simply exterminated this species of animal at the end of the 19th century.
5. Falkland fox
Also known as the warra or Falkland wolf, the Falkland fox was the only native land mammals Falkland Islands.
This endemic canid went extinct in 1876, becoming the first known canid to go extinct in historical times. This animal is believed to have lived in burrows and its diet consisted of birds, larvae and insects.
4. Reunion giant tortoise
Endemic to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, the Reunion giant tortoise was a large turtle, up to 1.1 meters long.
These animals were very slow, curious and not afraid of people, which made them easy prey for the first inhabitants of the island, who exterminated turtles in huge numbers - as food for people, as well as pigs. The Reunion giant tortoise became extinct in the 1840s.
3. Kioea
The kioea was a large, up to 33 cm long, Hawaiian bird that became extinct around 1859.
The kioea was a rare bird even before the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands by Europeans. Even the native Hawaiians did not seem to know about the existence of this bird.
Only 4 specimens of this beautifully colored bird have survived in different museums. The reason for their extinction still remains unknown.
2. Megaladapis
Informally known as koala lemurs, megaladapis are an extinct genus of giant lemurs that once lived on the island of Madagascar.
To clear the area, the island's early settlers burned the local dense forests that were the natural habitat of these lemurs, which, coupled with overhunting, contributed greatly to the extinction of these slow-moving animals.
1. Quagga
The quagga is an extinct subspecies of savannah zebra that lived in South Africa until the 19th century.
Because these animals were fairly easy to track and kill, they were hunted en masse by Dutch colonists (and later Boers) for their meat and hides.
Only one single quagga was photographed during its lifetime (see photo), and only 23 skins of these animals have survived to this day.
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