Top 11 Animal species That Have Gone Extinct In The Past 100 years

Especially after the years preceding the Industrial Revolution, a significant number of animals have been extinct.  Since so many have been extinct, these are the most incredible and charismatic animals that need to be highlighted as a reminder that protecting animals is an outmost necessity.

1. The Baiji River Dolphin The Baiji River Dolphin was a dolphin living in the river and its only native is found in the Yangtze River, China. The species is considered extinct functionally speaking since 2006, as a scientific survey to count the population indicated that there are no survivors. The animal was very widespread before, with 6000 approximately living in the river up until 1950s. However, the industrialization of the area, the fishing industry and the various hydroelectric dams caused the population to shrink in the subsequent decades and resulted in having only a few hundred animals in the 1980s.

These animals were big enough. They had a length of approximately 7 to 9 feet and they weighed almost 500 lbs. They could live in the wild more than 24 years and were able to speed up to 37 miles per hour when they were swimming. 2. The Western Black Rhinoceros These rhinos were declared extinct in 2011. They were genetically distinct from the other Rhinoceros species in Africa and was predominant in the sub-Saharan African savannas. Their extinction though came from their hunting and poaching. The population of the species had dramatically declined during the 20th century, and caused over a million animals to be killed. In the 1980s, it was reported that their population was approximately fewer than a hundred animals. The species emerged approximately eight million years ago. Their length reached 3,75 m and were 1.8 m tall. Their weight was even reaching 1,5 tons.

Western Black Rhinoceros was reported to be distinct for its remarkable two horns, which were believed without scientific proof that that they had medicinal value, making people to hunt them down in order to poach their horns. 3. The Pyrenean Ibex The Pyrenean Ibex lived in the Iberian Peninsula and was extinct in 2000. This animal when it was predominant was roaming across France and Spain, but in the 1900s only 100 survived. The main reasons behind its extinction do not just lie on hunting and its loss of habitat to reproduce. One of its possible reasons for extinction is the introduction of several contagious diseases that were administered by many domesticated animals. The last of its kind, Celia, was reported dead in northern Spain in 2000. At the time, many scientists had taken skin cells from its ear and tried to keep them in a canister with liquid nitrogen.

This caused in 2009 the creation of a clone, which made it the first ever extinct animal to be brought to life again. Despite this, the clone could not survive because of several lung defects. 4. The Golden Toad The golden toad, or what was commonly known as the Monteverde toad was a frog species that was living in Monteverde Forest, Costa Rica. Although once was very common species in Costa Rica, no surviving animals have been seen from 1989. This animals’ breeding sites were closely reported and watched in order to preserve them. In 1988 the only surviving animals were only 10 in number and in 1989 there was only one surviving male. After conducting numerous researches and reports for the golden toad, there has been a failure in successfully locate other golden toads, making the species be declared officially extinct in 2007.

Many amphibian diseases, as well as air pollution and global warming were the main causes that made this animal go extinct. 5. The Javan Tiger The Javan Tiger was an Indonesian tiger subspecies of tiger which was living in Java island. It was considered extinct in 1979 because of hunting and their poisoning by people who considered it a big threat for the nearby human habitats. Deforestation to expand agriculture and construction were also reasons that caused its extinction. There was no reliable sighting of these animals in years, despite rumours that state that they were being seen. This speculation still is enough to panic the people in the region because of the dangerousness of the animal.

The Javan tigers were smaller in size compared to other Asian tigers and they had long and thin stripes. Their noses were long and narrow and their occipital plane was remarkably narrow. 6. The Hawaiian Crow This Hawaiian species is reported to be extinct in the wild in 2002, when the last wild animals disappeared. There are some birds still in captivity, where approximately 40 birds are survived thanks to a captive-breeding program undertaken in the previous decades. These birds were reported to be released into a managed habitat which was closely monitored. However, the releases of birds were cancelled in 1999 due to the increase of mortality rates. A re-introduction of the plan is under development, but in order to be fruitful, more than 75 Hawaiian crows are needed to properly undertake the work with success.

The bird's extinction was never fully understood. Several researchers argued that several diseases might have played a particular role in the demise of these animals. 7. The Spix's Macaw Although there is a small number of Spix's macaws in captivity, the last reported animal in the wild disappeared in 2000. These animals are included within the ‘critically endangered’ list of animals, as not every area of potential habitat for these animals have been thoroughly researched. The bird lives in northern Brazil. In 1987, the only three surviving birds were captured in order to trade them. A single male bird though was discovered around 1990 and was paired with a female captivated one, which unfortunately died when it collided on a power line.

The decline of these animals’ number is attributed to their severe hunting and trapping by humans, as well as the introduction of the African bees in the area, which competed for several nesting sites. 8. The Liverpool Pigeon The Liverpool pigeon, or what was commonly called the spotted green pigeon is a species that its origin is unknown. Despite this, there is speculation among scientists that this bird was living in Tahiti as well. The only surviving specimen of this rare bird is situated in the Merseyside County Museum, Liverpool. Scientists state however that it is likely that these birds were near extinction before the European exploration of the Pacific Ocean. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, after an extensive assessment of the species declared it extinct in 2008, but still the reasons behind its extinction are unknown.

Although this is speculation, hunting in order to gather food and possible predation by Commercial Merchants at the time are said that resulted in the extinction of this rare and beautiful animal. 9. The Black-Faced Honeycreeper The black-faced honeycreeper is an endemic animal situated in Maui Island, Hawaii. This animal is not officially extinct yet. The species is listed in the critically endangered/possibly extinct list of animals. According to the latest survey explorations, three known birds were discovered in 1998, but one died during its captivity in 2004. The two that remained were not seen since that year. Several scientists state the species is already extinct, but to officially declare this, there is a need to survey all the areas of its potential habitat of this bird to confirm it.

If any of these animals have survived, their population is likely to be extremely small. The reasons for the decline of the number of this species is attributed to habitat destruction and the spread of poisonous mosquitoes that infected them with contagious deceases. 10. The Alaotra Grebe These animals, which were also commonly known as Delacour's little grebes, were declared extinct in late 2010. Nevertheless, there is a statement that they might have been extinct earlier. This is based on the fact that most scientists researching the species were hesitant to declare the bird extinct. The Alaotra grebe was reported that it was living near the Lake of Alaotra, Madagascar. Several thorough examinations of the area that were conducted in 1989, 2004 and 2009 had failed to find any of these birds. The last confirmed sighting of them was near 1982.

Their population began to shrink around the 20th century because of their habitat destruction and a series of reproduction problems, which were the primary reasons among others for the extinction of these animals. 11. The Holdridge's Toad   This kind of toad was a species which was endemic and lived in the rainforests of Costa Rica. The Holdridge’s toad was officially declared extinct in 2004, where the last reported sighting of it was in 1986. However, several surveys conducted in 2012 declared that these rare toads were still living in Costa Rica. Thus, its status was upgraded and was included in the list of critically endangered species. Its population size is estimated that it counts less than 50 animals. These animals tend to settle inside the surface of the rainforest, especially during heavy rainfall in order to protect themselves. They are fossorial species, as they can dig to reach beneath surface.

The decline of the Holdridge’s toads’ population is attributed to an amphibian decease called chytridiomycosis and the drastic effects of the greenhouse effect and climate change in the area.

Save

Save

Save