A dramatic indicator of environmental distress and the significant effects of human activity on the natural world is the extinction of a species. As the twenty-first century goes on, the stark fact of biodiversity loss becomes more and more apparent with the increase in extinct animals. Particularly in the past century, many animal species have gone extinct; each loss is a distinct tragedy that disturbs the delicate balance of the biological networks on our planet and ripples through ecosystems.
The tales of these extinct animals highlight the brittleness and tenacity of life, from the enormous forests of South America to the isolated islands of the Pacific. Twelve animals that went extinct in the previous century are examined in this article, along with their life histories, the causes of their extinction, and the wider environmental effects of their departure. Once colorful strands in their ecosystems, these extinct animals now stand as stark reminders of the pressing need for environmental management and conservation.
The ongoing biodiversity problem is partly caused by human activities that have exacerbated the rate of extinct animals, such as habitat degradation, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation. We can create more effective plans for safeguarding the surviving species and their ecosystems if we have a deeper understanding of the precise causes and effects of these extinct animals.
We can better understand the intricacy of ecological interactions and the vital need of protecting the natural environment by thinking back on the stories of these extinct animals. The extinction of these species not only reduces the biodiversity of our world but also upsets ecosystems, which can have a domino effect on how entire environments work.
We will examine twelve amazing extinct animals that were extinct in the past century in this excursion, giving thorough details of their lives, the causes of their demise, and the effects of their loss on the environment. Our goal in telling these stories is to bring attention to the close relationships that exist between species and their environments as well as the crucial part that all living things play in preserving the harmony and health of our ecosystems.
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12. Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)
Once, flocks of passenger pigeons might cover a whole sky for hours, making it one of the most common bird species in North America. These birds were renowned for their extraordinary migratory habits, often migrating in large flocks that numbered in the billions. During migration, they ate vast amounts of seeds from trees like oak and beech, which made up their main diet.
The destruction of habitat and unrelenting hunting were the main causes of the passenger pigeon’s extinct animals. Passenger pigeons were hunted on an industrial scale in the 19th century, with their meat being a popular food source and their feathers being used for a variety of reasons. The telegraph and railroads allowed hunters to track and take advantage of pigeons more effectively.
In addition, their native habitat was further reduced and their breeding and feeding grounds were disrupted by the removal of forests for agriculture and urban expansion, leading to these extinct animals.
The passenger pigeon’s demise had a profound effect on the environment. Being among the biggest bird populations in North America, their extinction hampered the processes involved in the spread of seeds, which had an impact on the development and regrowth of numerous tree species. Changes in the populations of species that relied on this keystone species for sustenance resulted from the extinct animals, which also had an effect on the predator-prey dynamics in their environment.
11. Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus)
The thylacine, a distinct marsupial predator indigenous to Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea, was sometimes called the Tasmanian tiger because of its striped coat. It was the largest known marsupial predator of the modern era, shaped like a big dog with a physique similar to a kangaroo as some of the most recent extinct animals. Small to medium-sized animals, birds, and reptiles were the main prey for thylacines.
Numerous factors, such as widespread hunting, habitat destruction, and the introduction of non-native species, contributed to the extinct animals. Thylacines were often persecuted by European settlers because they were thought to pose a hazard to cattle. Their demise was further exacerbated by the introduction of dogs and other predators, as well as the clearance of land for agriculture. Their population had drastically decreased by the early 20th century, and Benjamin, the last known individual, passed away in 1936 while being kept in captivity at the Hobart Zoo in Tasmania.
The environment of the thylacine was significantly impacted by its disappearance. Being a top predator, it was essential in managing the numbers of smaller mammals and birds. Its extinction most likely caused prey species’ populations to explode, which in turn had an impact on vegetation and other ecological processes. The thylacine’s extinction highlighted how crucial apex predators are to preserving ecological balance and preventing extinct animals.
10. Baiji (Lipotes vexillifer)
A freshwater dolphin species native to China’s Yangtze River was known as the Baiji, or Yangtze River dolphin. It was a very small dolphin with a characteristic beak and a pale, grayish-white coloring. The Baiji was infamous for its reticent and elusive nature, frequently living in the murky waters of the river. The Baiji were threatened by a number of factors, such as pollution, habitat degradation, and entanglement in fishing gear.
Once a vibrant ecosystem, the Yangtze River underwent significant pollution and was transformed due to dam construction and industrial operations leading to these extinct animals. The Baiji’s population declined as a result of habitat degradation and entanglement in fishing nets. The Baiji was deemed functionally extinct by 2007 after considerable conservation efforts and hunts for surviving individuals failed to turn up any evidence of the extinct animals since 2002.
The Yangtze River ecology was significantly impacted by the Baiji’s disappearance. The Baiji was a top predator in the river and helped to keep the aquatic life’s balance. Its departure might have added to the instability of the already stressed river environment by influencing fish and other aquatic species’ populations.
9. Pinta Island Tortoise (Chelonoidis Abingdonensis)
Large tortoises of the Pinta Island tortoise species were indigenous to the Galápagos Islands. With its long, thin legs designed for navigating rocky terrain and its domed shell, it was one of the biggest tortoises in the Galápagos. The main dietary items for Pinta Island tortoises were grasses, leaves, and fruits.
Overhunting and invasive species threatened the Pinta Island tortoise’s extinction. The extinct animals were severely reduced in number as a result of hunting by early European settlers and whalers for their meat and oil. In addition, the tortoises faced competition for food from introduced animals like goats and rodents, as well as predation on their eggs. The last tortoise, Lonesome George, passed away in captivity in 2012 as a result of habitat degradation and hunting’s combined negative consequences.
On its home island, the Pinta Island tortoise’s demise had a profound ecological impact. Through their eating habits, the extinct animals contributed to habitat maintenance and seed dissemination. Their extinction most certainly resulted in modifications to plant populations and the general composition of the island’s ecology, along with the loss of an important part of the Galápagos Islands’ biodiversity.
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8. Splendid Poison Frog (Osteopilus splendens)
The colorful Splendid poison frog was a native of Central America, distinguished by its vivid colors and little stature. Its vivid colors alerted prospective predators to its poison. The extinct animals lived in tropical rainforests and were frequently discovered in its natural habitat, the leaf litter of the forest floor.
Threats to the Splendid poison frog included habitat loss and the fatal chytrid fungus, which has decimated amphibian populations all across the world. The habitat of the extinct animals was diminished by deforestation for urbanization and agriculture, and the chytrid fungus severely reduced the number of amphibian species by interfering with their skin functions. The Splendid poison frog was declared extinct in 2006 despite conservation efforts, since a thorough search failed to turn up any living specimens.
There were ecological ramifications for the rainforest home of the Splendid poison frog when it went extinct. This frog and other amphibians are important for managing bug populations and providing food for larger animals. These ecological processes were probably upset by these extinct animals’ absence, which had an impact on the ecosystem’s equilibrium in the rainforest.
7. West African Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis longipes)
In contrast to other black rhino subspecies, the West African black rhinoceros was smaller in stature and had horns that were more deeply curled. The extinct animals were indigenous to West African nations, living in savannah and wooded regions where they mostly consumed fruits, leaves, and branches.
Poaching and habitat loss posed serious challenges to the West African black rhinoceros. There was a lot of pressure to stop rhino poaching because rhino horn is sought after and utilized as a status symbol in traditional medicine. The extinct animals’ reduction was also exacerbated by habitat loss brought on by human development and agriculture. The population had declined by the early 2000s, and the species was deemed extinct in 2011 when a thorough search was unable to find any surviving members.
The environment of West Africa was significantly impacted by the black rhinoceros’ demise. Rhinos are significant browsers that affect the dynamics and structure of the vegetation. Because other species depended on the same habitat, their loss probably altered plant communities and demonstrated how intertwined ecological interactions are.
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6. Javan Tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica)
A subspecies of tiger indigenous to Indonesia’s Java island was known as the Javan tiger. Its coat was darker and it was marginally smaller than those of other tiger subspecies. In its natural habitat of tropical forests, the Javan tiger mostly hunted deer, wild boar, and other medium-sized mammals.
The main causes of the Javan tiger’s extinction were habitat loss and human conflict. The habitat of these extinct animals was greatly diminished by the destruction of forests for development and agriculture. Their fall was also aided by hunting and farmers’ retaliatory deaths. The population had reached critical proportions by the 1970s, and the early 1980s saw the last verified sightings. Not long afterward, the Javan tiger was officially proclaimed extinct.
The ecosystem of the Javan tiger was significantly impacted by the extinct animals’ demise. It was a top predator and was vital in controlling the numbers of its prey species. Its disappearance most likely caused a herbivore population imbalance, which impacted the forest’s vegetation and other elements.
5. Pyrenean Ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica)
Originating in the Pyrenees mountains of France and Spain, the Pyrenean ibex was a subspecies of the Iberian ibex. The extinct animals were a sturdy and nimble mountain goat, well-suited to the rough landscape of its alpine home. The food of the Pyrenean ibex consisted of leaves, bushes, and grasses.
The loss of their habitat, poaching, and sickness threatened to wipe out the Pyrenean ibex. Its population fell sharply as a result of human overhunting and habitat fragmentation in the mountains. In 2000, a female Pyrenean ibex by the name of Celia went extinct. The population of the extinct animals were too insufficient to sustain conservation efforts.
The Pyrenean ibex’s demise had an impact on the region’s hilly ecology. The extinct animals shaped vegetation and influenced plant groups because it was a herbivore. Its extinction probably altered the structure of the vegetation and had an impact on other species that shared the same habitat.
4. Alagoas Foliage-gleaner (Philydor novaesi)
A little bird species native to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest was the Alagoas foliage-gleaner. It was well-known for its unusual way of getting food, picking insects and other tiny invertebrates off of branches and leaves. The bird’s feathers, which were mostly brown with faint stripes, helped it to blend in with the woodland.
Deforestation and habitat degradation were the main causes of the Alagoas foliage-gleaner’s imminent extinction. The spread of agriculture and logging have drastically fragmented the once huge and diversified ecosystem that was the Atlantic Forest. The population of the foliage-gleaner declined as a result of the loss of its forest environment. The bird was declared extinct in 2011 after it was last observed in the early 2000s, despite conservation efforts.
The forest ecosystem of the Alagoas foliage-gleaner was impacted by the extinct animals. Birds such as this one are crucial to seed dissemination and bug control. The dynamics of insect populations and plant regeneration were probably impacted by the extinct animals’ absence, which added to the ecological shifts already occurring in the Atlantic Forest.
3. Hofmann’s Poison Frog (Osteopilus hoffmanni)
The vividly colored Hofmann’s poison frog was a native of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Its striking coloring functioned as a poisonous warning to predators. The extinct animals were usually found in damp, leaf-lit places and thrived in tropical rainforests.
Threats to Hofmann’s poison frog included habitat loss and the chytrid fungus, which has decimated amphibian populations all over the world. The extinct animals’ habitat was diminished by deforestation for urbanization and agriculture, and amphibian species had significant reductions due to the chytrid fungus, which interfered with the functioning of their skin. The species was deemed extinct in 2007 despite conservation efforts following fruitless hunts for surviving members.
The rainforest habitat of Hofmann’s poison frog was impacted by its demise. Amphibians are important because they regulate bug populations and act as food for other species. These ecological processes were probably upset by the extinct animals’ death, which had an impact on the ecosystem’s equilibrium in the tropical jungle.
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2. Lord Howe Island Phasmid (Dryococelus australis)
The Lord Howe Island Phasmid, also called the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, was a giant, flightless insect that was indigenous to Lord Howe Island off the Australian coast. Its camouflage colors helped it blend in with its environment, and the extinct animals were well adapted to its island home.
Rats, in particular, which were unintentionally carried to the island by ships, posed a threat to the extinction of the Lord Howe Island Phasmid. The number of the insects quickly decreased as a result of these predators feeding on the insects and their eggs. The species was thought to be extinct by the 1920s. On the other hand, a little population was found in 2001 on Ball’s Pyramid, a neighboring granite outcrop.
The island ecology of Lord Howe Island was impacted by the phasmid’s demise. It participated in the plant-animal interactions in its natural habitat as a herbivore. Lord Howe Island’s vegetation dynamics and other biological processes were probably impacted by the extinct animals’ absence.
1. Stephen Island Wren (Traversia lyalli) – Extinct Animals
The tiny, flightless Stephen Island wren was a resident of New Zealand’s Stephen Island. The extinct animals were well-known for being tiny and eating only insects. The wren was well suited to its remote island habitat and thrived under thick foliage.
Introduced predators and habitat loss drove the Stephen Island wren to extinction. The wren population was severely impacted by the introduction of rats and other exotic species to the island. Due to its inability to fly, the extinct animals were especially susceptible to predators. The species was deemed extinct soon after the final known specimen was gathered in 1895.
The island’s ecology was impacted by the Stephen Island wren’s demise. The extinct animals contributed to the spread of plant seeds and the control of insects. Stephen Island’s overall ecological balance was probably impacted by changes in insect populations and vegetation dynamics brought on by the extinct animals’ absence.
These twelve extinct animals serve as a stark reminder of the impermanence of life and the significant effects that human activity has on the environment. Every species had a distinct function within its ecosystem, and the extinction of one has had a ripple effect on the areas it once called home. It is essential to comprehend the causes and effects of these extinct animals in order to create conservation strategies that work and stop additional loss of biodiversity. By taking inspiration from these past extinct animals, we can work to safeguard the surviving species and maintain the complex ecosystem that keeps our world alive.
