Extinct animals due to human fault - a list with a description. Extinct animals due to human fault - a list with a description of Which animals have become extinct in the last 10 years
For the grandiose successes of human civilization, nature is the first to pay. Providing themselves with a comfortable existence, people become responsible for the death of entire species of representatives of the animal and plant world. Extinct animals due to human fault - how many of them have disappeared from the face of the Earth forever? We have compiled a rating of the most amazing and beautiful creatures that a person will never see again.
10.
- a vivid example of the predatory attitude of man to nature. The species was discovered by Bering's expedition in 1741. This animal, extinct through the fault of man, was distinguished by a sedentary lifestyle and apathy. The sea cow, or cabbage, reached an impressive size - about 8 meters in length. One of the features of the animal was the complete absence of fear of people. Unfortunately, these sea creatures had delicious meat. By 1768 the modest sea cow population had been wiped out by man. The closest relative of the sea cow is the dugong.
9. Javan tiger
The list of extinct animals due to human fault continues. He belonged to the smallest subspecies of tigers. Habitat - the island of Java. The reason for the disappearance is active hunting and the destruction of the animal's habitat by humans. By the mid 80s XX century, only three individuals of the Javan tiger have survived. He was last seen in 1979. The species is considered extinct, although there are occasional reports that tigers have been sighted on the island of Java. Zoologists are skeptical about this, believing that a leopard is mistaken for a Javanese tiger.
On the verge of extinction and other subspecies of tigers. For example, the Sumatran tiger population today has only 300 individuals.
8.
(thylacine) is the only representative of marsupial wolves in the world, completely destroyed by man. Habitat: Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. Europeans first encountered the Tasmanian wolf in XVIII century. At the beginning of the 19th century, hunting was opened for animals. Farmers considered wolves the main enemy for the sheep population. As a result, a few animals have survived only in hard-to-reach places in Tasmania. AT XX century, due to the outbreak of dog distemper on the island, the population of the Tasmanian wolf was catastrophically reduced. Despite this, it was not listed as a protected species and hunting for it was not officially prohibited. The last wild Tasmanian wolf was killed in 1930. Scientists suggest that single representatives of the species could have survived in hard-to-reach places on the island. Despite the high reward offered for the capture of the animal, there is no documentary evidence that the Tasmanian wolf is not extinct.
7 Mauritius Dodo
The most famous representatives of animals extinct due to human fault include dodo or. It has disappeared so quickly since the discovery of this type of flightless bird by European travelers that for a long time scientists considered the dodo a mythical creature.
Habitat: Mauritius island. The dodo was first discovered by Dutch navigators in XVI century. From that moment on, the bird was subjected to intense extermination and disappeared in the middle XVII century. Dodo gained great fame thanks to Lewis Carroll, who made him the character of "Alice in Wonderland". The writer identified Dodo with himself.
6.
One of the most famous subspecies of the wild bull is another representative of animals that have become extinct due to human activities and hunting. The primitive tour was exterminated in Africa and Mesopotamia as early as the third millennium BC. In Central Europe, its population has been declining since deforestation. To XV century animals were taken under protection, but their numbers have been steadily declining. The last tour disappeared in the middle XVII century. Enthusiasts from different countries are resurrecting tours.
5.
(Cameroonian subspecies) - another representative of extinct animals due to human fault. Its name is arbitrary, since the color of animals depends on the color of the soil of the area where they live. To the middle XIX century black rhinoceros was an ordinary inhabitant of Africa. But then, thanks to faith in the miraculous power of the horns, they were hunted. Animal horns were also used as material for dagger handles. Now the total number of black rhinos does not exceed 4 thousand individuals, but the Cameroonian subspecies did not survive the extermination by poachers and was declared extinct in 2011.
4.
The only representative of the genus, became another sad example of animals, extinct due to human. Lived in North America and became extinct as a result of merciless hunting. The last Caroline parrots were seen in 1926. The species is officially declared extinct.
3.
- giant wingless birds, extinct due to human fault in XVI century. Lived in New Zealand. Some species were gigantic - up to 3.6 meters in height. Moas were herbivores. They ate fruits, leaves and shoots. Died out at the start XVI century. The Mayori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, are to blame for the disappearance of these amazing creatures.
2.
- an example of how the most common bird on Earth can be destroyed by man. Lived in North America. The population decline began in XIX century. This was facilitated by many reasons, among which poaching was in the first place. Passenger pigeon meat was very tasty, and the inhabitants of the northern states ruthlessly destroyed the birds. The last representatives of the species disappeared at the beginning XX century.
1.
- in 1st place in the sad list of animals that have become extinct due to human fault.
The fate of Lonesome George was followed by many. He was the last representative of the subspecies Abingdon elephant tortoise. Last years He spent his life on Santa Cruz Island, where the Darwin Research Station is located. For many years, zoologists did not lose hope of getting George's offspring by crossing with related species, but the embryos of the eggs turned out to be unviable. On June 24, 2012, the last representative of the giant Abingdon elephant tortoises died at the age of about 100 years. Now this subspecies of the Galapagos tortoises is officially recognized as extinct.
Man is to blame for the disappearance of elephant turtles. For hundreds of years they have been used as living canned food, transported in the holds of ships.
The statistics of endangered animal species are appalling. Due to human activities, we lose several species of animals, plants, birds and insects every day. We are the main cause of the catastrophic death of the animal and plant world of the Earth. Today, 40% percent of living beings are on the verge of extinction, and this terrible figure is only increasing.
According to the World Conservation Union for 2008, over the past five hundred years, 844 species of animals have completely died out. And the saddest thing is that most often the cause of the extinction of species is a person. This list contains only 10 species of animals (with photo) that have become extinct relatively recently.
The thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger, was the largest carnivorous marsupial known to modern times. In the wild, it is considered extinct due to constant hunting (they were a threat to sheep and other small animals) and human encroachment on their already limited habitats. The last marsupial wolf, named Benjamin, died on September 7, 1936, as a result of neglect. Trapped in a cage, he froze to death in freezing temperatures overnight at the Hobbart Zoo in Tasmania.
Quagga (Quagga)
Quagga is an extinct southern subspecies of zebras. It differed from other zebras mainly in the stripes on the head, neck, and front of the body. The animal died out through the fault of man because it was hunted ruthlessly for meat and skin. In 1870, perhaps the last wild quagga was caught. The female of this species died on August 12, 1883 at the Amsterdam Zoo, where she had lived since May 9, 1867. Then, no one realized that it was the last representative of a whole species.
The story of the disappearance of the passenger pigeon is one of the most tragic. Until the 19th century, this bird species was considered one of the most common on Earth, the total number of which was estimated at 3-5 billion individuals. However, from 1800 to 1870, their number gradually began to decrease, due to the fact that the meat of this pigeon was recognized as a cheap and tasty food, especially among slaves and the poor, and also for their many millions of flocks, which, like locusts, seeing food , rushed at her completely destroying fruits, berries, nuts and insects. Therefore, the voracity of the passenger pigeon irritated the farmers. The last passenger pigeon, named Martha, died alone in the zoo on September 1, 1914.
The Golden Toad was native to the rainforests that surround Monteverde, in Costa Rica. The last time toads bred normally was in 1987. After 1987, due to unstable weather, the pools dried up before the eggs were ripe. Of a potential 30,000 toads, only 29 survived. In 1988, only 8 males and 2 females remained. In 1989, the only surviving male was found. Since 1989, no one has seen a single toad of this species.
The Caribbean monk seal was the only known seal native to caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. This type of seal was first discovered by Columbus on the coast of Santo Domingo in 1494. Since then, the animals have been hunted for their fat. Officially declared extinct on June 6, 2008. Along with a lack of fear of humans and non-aggressive and curious behavior, hunting and expansion of human habitat likely contributed to their extinction.
The Pyrenean ibex has one of the most recently extinct animals. interesting stories extinction, as it was the first species to be brought back to life by cloning. Yes, that's just all the cloned animals died seven minutes after birth. The Pyrenean goat was originally from the Pyrenees (a mountain range in Andorra, in France and Spain). At the end of 1980, their number was estimated at 6–14 individuals. The last naturally born Pyrenean goat, who died on January 6, 2000, was named Celia.
The North African antelope Bubal once roamed throughout North Africa and the Middle East. People who live in Morocco shot these animals for fun. The last female North African antelope, the bubal, died at the Paris Zoo in 1923.
The Javan tiger is an extinct subspecies of tiger that lived on the Indonesian island of Java. The last representative of the species was seen in 1972, but there is evidence that he lived until the 80s. During the last search for tigers in 1979, only 3 individuals were recorded. The main reason for the extinction of Javan tigers has been agricultural encroachment and habitat loss, which continues to be a major problem in Java.
Tekopa toothed carp
Tekopa toothed carp was distributed in the Mojave Desert, in Inyo County, California, USA. Initially, the subspecies of these fish was found only in the hot springs of the Northern and Southern Tekop. From the 1940s, their number gradually began to decrease, when the hot springs began to gain popularity and baths and canals were built on some of them. The species was the first animal to be officially declared extinct in 1973, under endangered species regulations.
Chinese river dolphin
In the 1970s and 1980s, it was estimated that half of river dolphin deaths were due to entanglement in fishing gear. By 1970, there were only a few hundred of them in nature, and by 1997 - 13 remained. The dolphin was officially declared extinct after an expedition at the end of 2006.
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Human beings may be the main cause of extinction in the history of the planet. Since our ancestors started hunting and spread around the world, hundreds, if not thousands, of species have died at the hands of humans. The sad truth is that we do not know exactly how many species have disappeared at the hands of man in the past. Today, it's a different story because science can show us which animals are disappearing, and how fast. This means that we have the ability to prevent further disappearances if we so desire. Unfortunately, our current conservation efforts have come too late for many species that continue to disappear.
And so, 10 recently extinct animals:
1. Amphibian: Golden Toad
The golden toad has been known to science for only 23 years. The first of these colorful amphibians was spotted in Costa Rica in 1966, and as early as 1989, the Golden Toad was considered extinct. They lived only in a small area of Monteverde in the reserved cloud forests, which cover only 1.5 square miles. The last golden toad was seen in 1989, so it is possible that some of them may still be alive. But scientists believe that deforestation and the fungus led to the complete extinction of this species.
2.Cat:Bali tiger
This type of tiger lived only on the Indonesian island of Bali. The last representatives probably died sometime in the mid-1960s, about 50 years ago. Several individuals of the Bali tiger were observed in 1937, but later the tigers disappeared. Scientists believe that this species finally became extinct in the mid or late 1960s. One of the reasons for the extinction of the Bali tigers was the appearance of firearms in Indonesia. The weapon enabled the people of Bali to destroy all wild cats, which, at that time, they considered the bearers of evil spirits.
3.Bird: Eskimo Curlew
The Eskimo Curlew, also known as the Northern Curlew, is a small bird that traveled between Alaska and Argentina in one giant flock. This has made them easy targets for hunters in Canada, the United States, and South and Central America. Since the curlew traveled in one giant herd, one hunter could easily bring down several dozen of these babies with just one shotgun. The last Eskimo Curlew died in the early 1970s, about 45 years ago.
4. Fish: Blackfin Vendace
Until the 1900s, blackfin vendace was considered a common, commercially viable species of the salmon family. Scientists believe that intense fishing and habitat intrusions by aggressive invasive species have killed the fish. At first it was believed that the fish became extinct in 1969, but the last representative was registered in 2006. It is likely that this species died because it was unable to protect its environment from aggressive invaders or invasive species.
5. Playful animal: Schomburgk deer
Despite its name, this deer was actually from Thailand in Southeast Asia. It was named after the person who first described it, Sir Robert H. Schomburgk, a British adviser in Thailand in the 1850s and 60s. The number of the species began to decline shortly after its discovery because most of its habitats were converted to commercial rice paddies. The last known Schomburgk deer died in captivity in 1938, but the species has not been seen in the wild since 1932. In 1991, a set of Schomburgk deer antlers was found in a Laos store, which gave hope that some Schomburgk deer still exist in the remote forests of Southeast Asia.
6. Horse: Syrian kulan
Large herds of this horse roamed the deserts of Syria, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq at the end of the 16th century. The last known Syrian wild horse died in a zoo in Vienna in 1927. In the same year, the last known animal was shot in Jordan. The Syrian kulan was the smallest specimen of a horse, and is also one of the few extinct species mentioned in the Bible.
7. Butterfly: Madeira
The great white Madeira butterfly is so rare that no one really knows if it is extinct or not. Perhaps this is because no one has seen them since 1977. Large white butterflies lived on the Portuguese island of Madeira. The most likely cause of extinction is that they caught a deadly virus from other butterfly species introduced to the island in the 1950s. This is one of the most expensive butterfly species for collectors.
8 Marsupials: Desert Kangaroo Rat
Curiously, this species was declared extinct twice, once in 1840 and again in 1994. The marsupial looked like a rat, but jumped like a kangaroo. Most scientists believe that the desert kangaroo rat became extinct in 1840, but several dead specimens were found in the 1980s.
9 Reptile: Round Island Burrowing Snake 
This snake has only been found on a few islands in Indian Ocean. It was named the Round Island snake because it was last seen there in 1975. This snake died due to goats and rabbits that were brought to the islands by sailors and destroyed their habitats.
10 Rodent: Small Nesting Rat
Being tasty and easy prey in this gentle rodent did not stand a chance when the British decided to settle in Australia. The rat had no defense against the animals introduced by the British. In 1933, a small nesting rat was accidentally filmed with a movie camera. Some scientists hope that perhaps some individuals still exist somewhere in the outback.
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Internet marketer, editor of the site "In an accessible language"
Publication date: 12/05/2017
Have you ever seen Bali tiger or marsupial wolf? Probably not…
It's a pity, 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 periodically fall into the list of extinct and many are on the verge of extinction. Man is the main culprit in the extinction of animals in our time.
Today we will tell you about 15 bright representatives of the extinct fauna quite recently, literally over the past 100 years.
Considered extinct since 1922.
The Barbary lion lived in the North African semi-deserts, steppes and forests, and it was also distributed in the Atlas Mountains in northwestern Africa.
The main distinguishing features of the predator are a very thick mane and large size. The males of the Barbary lion weighed from 160 to 250 kilograms, the weight of the females was 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.
AT Ancient Rome entertaining competitions with the participation of the Barbary lion were common, as a rule, the Turanian tiger, which also became extinct, acted as its opponent.
The reason for the disappearance of the subspecies is considered to be targeted extermination due to the frequent attacks of Barbary lions on livestock, the number of predators has 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: en.wikipedia.org The Syrian kulan was distributed on the Arabian Peninsula, lived 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 shrubs 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 can be attributed to the changing color depending on the season, in summer the color of the fur of the kulan was olive, and in winter it acquired a sandy and even pale yellow color.
The last wild representative of the subspecies was shot in 1927 near the Azraq oasis in Jordan, and the last individual living in captivity died in 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 to the historical era.
Thylacine was the largest of the marsupial predators of our time, its weight was 20-25 kg, the height at the withers reached 60 centimeters, the 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), stilacin lived on the territory of mainland Australia, as well as on the island of New Guinea, about 3000 years ago, marsupial wolves were driven 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 dingo dogs did not penetrate.
The reason for the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf, as in a number of other cases, is the mass extermination of people. The marsupial wolf was considered the main enemy of the Tasmanian farmers, he attacked the sheep and ruined the poultry houses. In the 30s XIX years century, a mass shooting of a predator began, the authorities gave rewards to hunters for the head of each killed animal.
After a long shooting, the number of thylacines decreased, rare specimens were found only in remote areas. In addition to shooting, the Tasmanian wolf population was severely damaged by a viral disease that broke out at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1914, marsupial wolves were numbered in units.
The last marsupial wolf living in the wild was killed on May 13, 1930, and in 1936 the last individual kept in a private zoo in Hobart died of old age.
In March 2017, the media reported that animals similar to thylacine were caught in the lenses of video traps in Cape York Park. For reasons of keeping the animal's habitat a secret, the photographs were not released to the public. There was no official confirmation that it was the marsupial wolf that got into the lenses.
Considered extinct since 1937.
Illustration: en.wikipedia.org Gray kangaroos lived in the south and southeast of Australia. Individuals of this species could be found in open spaces next to eucalyptus forests, in which these animals hid during the rains.
The name of the animal was given 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 shrubs and trees.
Poaching is considered the main cause of extinction - people hunted kangaroos for fur and meat. In addition, scientists believe that the reason for the decline in the population of wild gray kangaroos is attacks on them by predatory animals.
Gray's last wild kangaroo was killed in 1924, and in 1937 the last individual living in the national park died.
Declared extinct in 1937.
Photo: animalreader.ru The Bali tiger lived exclusively on the island of Bali (Indonesia), most often this feline representative 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 life expectancy 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 \u200b\u200bthe habitat of these animals, the Bali tigers were exterminated very quickly.
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: en.wikipedia.org The Schomburgka deer lived in central Thailand in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. It could be found on swampy plains overgrown with shrubs, reeds and tall grass.
During the rainy and flood season, Schomburgk's reindeer would leave the marshland and rise 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 deer is the development of the infrastructure of cities located near the habitats of animals. Drainage of swamps, construction of roads and enterprises have actually destroyed the habitats of this animal. In addition, hunters and poachers have made their "contribution" to the extinction of this species.
It is known that the last Schomburgk 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 Small Sisne in the Caribbean Sea (the territory of Goonduras). Due to the fact that the base of the island on which the Hutii lived consists mainly of coral rock, these animals, as a rule, could not dig holes, therefore they settled in the crevices of the coral rock.
Representatives of the species were herbivores. Their weight could reach one kilogram, and the length of the body of an adult individual was 33-35 centimeters. The sizes of males practically did not differ from the sizes of females.
It is believed that the island 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. Officially declared extinct only in 2008.
Photo: en.wikipedia.org The Caribbean monk seal was the only representative of the genus of seals that lived in the Caribbean Sea. They could be found on sandy beaches, as well as reef lagoons.
Caribbean monk seals were last sighted in the western Caribbean in 1952 and have not been seen since. 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 the Caribbean monk seals is the negative impact of human activities on the environment.
Considered extinct since the 1960s.
Photo: en.wikipedia.org The Mexican grizzly lived in the forests, it could be found in the state 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 for them, as well as with the development of human habitats for these animals.
In 1959, the Mexican government banned the hunting of Mexican grizzlies, but this measure was belated and did not help save the population.
Considered extinct since 1974.
Photo: en.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 island of Ryukyu (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.
According to scientists, in the 19th century, the population of Japanese sea lions numbered from 30 to 50 thousand individuals. Uncontrolled hunting for them and the 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, then a small population was found on the Liancourt Islands.
The last time a Japanese sea lion was seen in 1974 on the coast of the small island of Rebun. Since that time, no one else saw these animals.
11. Canary black oystercatcher
Declared extinct in 1994.
Photo: fishki.net The Canarian black oystercatcher lived in West Africa on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. This bird also suffered from human hands. It is worth noting that people did not hunt this bird, but still brought it to starvation.
As you know, scientists have long been making plans to revive some extinct species of animals. However, as it turned out, the classification of "extinct" is not always 100 percent accurate. People continue to report encounters with extinct animals. Below are some of the most reliable cases of observation of extinct animal species:
10 Woolly Mammoth
A video of a bear with a fish in its mouth, posted on YouTube, stirred up the Internet. Users discussed it for several hours. As you might expect, the tabloids began to print in their headlines "Are Woolly Mammoths Still Alive?". However, they have not been seen for over 100 years, in other words, throughout the 20th century. This sounds rather strange, considering that woolly mammoths became extinct as early as 4,000 years ago.
However, in 1920, a Frenchman told a fantastic story that he saw a creature in Siberia that exactly matched the description of a woolly mammoth.
“It was a huge elephant with large white tusks that were heavily curled. His coat was a dark chestnut color as far as I could see it. He had rather long hair on the back of the body, and shorter on the front. I have to say, I didn't even know such huge elephants existed! Next to him was a second elephant… he was at least as big as the first.”
Frozen mammoths were discovered in 1948 and their meat is quite well preserved. This, of course, cannot be called iron proof, but given the vast expanses of Siberia, everything is possible.
Eyewitness accounts occasionally surface in this area, reporting "elephant-like" creatures. This is also not quite a confirmation of the theory, but it is quite difficult to confuse an elk with an elephant, so it is quite possible that there is at least a grain of truth in these reports.
9 Passenger Pigeon
Photo: Cephas
Passenger pigeons once numbered in the billions. John James Audubon once watched a flock of these birds fly over his house for three days - 3,000 million doves an hour. That's a lot of birds. However, the problem with such a huge number is that they are very easy to hunt. Hunting, habitat loss and infectious diseases led to the complete extinction of this bird species.
Seven years after the passenger pigeon was officially declared extinct in the wild, a couple of these pigeons were spotted quite famous person: US President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1907, while in Albemarle County, the first environmentalist president, who certainly knew animals, saw a small flock.
Nowadays, people sometimes happen to observe a bird that looks like a passenger pigeon. Like in this rather short video. Small flocks of passenger pigeons occasionally appear in their former nesting areas, mostly around the Ozark Mountains.
It is possible that small flocks were able to survive. Too many people who knew exactly what passenger pigeons looked like saw them after their official extinction date.
8. Tasmanian Tiger or Thylacine
The marsupial wolves were hunted as they were a threat to livestock. The loss environment also had not the most favorable effect on the number of this species, the settlers gradually replaced these animals. The last marsupial wolf died in 1936.
However, cases of observation of these animals are quite common. They have been spotted in Tasmania and Australia, although it's fair to say that none of these sightings have been scientifically verified. However, several people who reported encountering a marsupial wolf were sober and of sound mind:
“In 1979, there was a report from workers building a fence on Lang Island. The workers spotted the marsupial wolf early in the morning. This is one of several reports of sightings of this extinct animal during the daytime, and most importantly, the people who reported them were not drunk at the time of sighting.
There are about twelve more such messages. Part of the confusion is that most of these reports come from Australia, where the species went extinct in the 1800s. In addition, there are some pretty entertaining shots - rewind the video to 2:35. Some people claim that this is a lame dog, while others are sure that a marsupial wolf was filmed on video.
7. Chinese River Dophin (Baiji/Yangtze River Dophin)
Chinese river dolphins lived exclusively in the Yangtze River. These once numerous dolphins were doomed when the Three Gorges Dam power plant was built and ship traffic on the river increased. The Chinese river dolphin was declared extinct in 2006.
But then he was seen just a year later. A group of students, led by scientist Wang Ding, confirmed the observation. This is great news for the survival of this genus. Unfortunately, these dolphins were only seen once. A large expedition that explored more than 3,540 kilometers of the river yielded no results.
However, the Yangtze River is very long, so there is a chance that a couple of these dolphins are still alive.
6. Japanese Hondos wolf (Japanese Wolf)
Photo: Momotarou2012
In fact, there are two varieties of the Japanese wolf: the Hokkaido wolf (Hokkaido) and the Honshu wolf (Honshu wolf). The Japanese wolf died out for the same reasons as other animals - at the hands of an American, because it was a threat to livestock. A man named Edwin Dun, hired by the Japanese, scattered some of the strychnine, and this largely contributed to their extinction. The Honshu wolf became extinct in 1905 and the Hokkaido wolf in 1889.
Despite its status as an extinct species, the Japanese wolf appeared in 1910. Then he was seen in the 1930s, and then again in the 50s.
In addition, this wolf was noticed in the 1990th year. According to one theory, the animals seen by people were actually howling hybrids of dogs and wolves. This is certainly possible, but are they a breeding population? Or, as many believe, the Japanese wolf still wanders the expanse wildlife Japan.
5. White-billed woodpecker (Ivory-Billed Woodpecker)
Photograph: Arthur Allen
The white-billed woodpecker is special in its own way - it has never been officially recognized as extinct. It was first declared extinct in the 1920s, but then in the 1940s, many people could enjoy the contemplation of these beautiful birds. In the 1950s, it was again declared extinct, so it is still found in the wild. In 2005, a group of ornithologists officially documented sightings of this bird. They also recorded at least 15 white-billed woodpecker sightings.
The fact that this group of ornithologists was called from Cornell University, an elite institution, allows us to state with a high degree of certainty that the white-billed woodpecker is still found in the wild. On the other hand, the question of the existence of the white-billed woodpecker is currently quite controversial, and some scientists question the reports of scientists at Cornell University.
But again, it is worth noting that people were mistaken that this species has become extinct since the 1920s. Therefore, we can say with a certain degree of certainty that the white-billed woodpecker still flies in the wild.
4. Eastern cougar (Eastern Cougar)
The eastern cougar was declared extinct in 2011, which is rather strange given the huge number of sightings.
Reports of sightings appear in almost every state located on the East Coast, and naturally, these sightings were after 2011, when the species was declared extinct. There are even entire websites devoted to sightings of this species in a given state.
People in New Hampshire saw and photographed a cougar that officially couldn't be there. People have also found footprints, feces and patches of fur from these cougars, all of which are characteristic of the non-extinct species. Therefore, the eastern cougar, apparently, did not die out at all.
3. Japanese river otter (Japanese River Otter)
Photo: Momotarou2012
The number of the Japanese river otter began to decrease in the 1930s. By the 1970s, these animals had become very rare. They were declared extinct in 2012, and one year passed from the moment of the announcement to the first sighting of this otter in nature.
Moreover, it is quite common for people to report seeing these animals. In the very first year after this species was given the status of "extinct", people reported 15 cases of encounters with these animals. Most of these messages have not been officially registered. However, "registering" your observation of an extinct animal species is not at all an easy task. Usually a good quality photo is required.
Scientists note that most of the recent encounters with otters were in areas where they simply could not be in polluted rivers. But who said that the animal will not go where it can easily find food (garbage), especially considering that the number of its species has declined significantly?
2 Mexican Grizzly Bear
Photograph: Enos Abijah Mills
The Mexican grizzly lived in the open spaces from Mexico to the state of Colorado in the North. The last Mexican grizzly was thought to have been killed in 1964. This species was officially declared extinct in 1964. However, Mexican grizzlies continue to be spotted in the wild.
The North American grizzly's range is much further north, but in the south of Colorado, quite reliable sightings of bears of an extinct species have been recorded. AT recent times there has been a surge in sightings of Mexican grizzlies in their former habitats.
Grizzlies are definitely found in these areas. The only question is, are they Mexican grizzlies? A 1979 study, conducted after the 15th anniversary of the species being declared extinct, found evidence pointing to the presence of the grizzly in Mexico (claw and paw marks). The study also found that remote areas of Mexico provided an ideal habitat for grizzly bears.
1Javan Tiger
Photo: F. W. Bond (F W Bond)
The Javan tiger, as one might assume, lived on the Indonesian island of Java. The Javan tiger died out mainly due to hunting. When you are on an island and you are being heavily hunted, you have nowhere to hide.
The last official sighting of this animal was in 1976. However, they were allegedly caught throughout the decade in the 1980s. Careful searches carried out in the mid-1990s led to the conclusion, made in 1994, that the Javan tiger was extinct. Exactly one year later, an eyewitness noticed him. In 1995, a Javanese forest ranger accidentally discovered a whole group of Javan tigers.
Reports of sightings of these tigers continued until 2000. Most likely, the Meru Betiri National Park, the site of the last encounter with Javan tigers, is a stronghold of their survival. Activist Wahyu Giri Prasetyo is still finding evidence of their existence, from excrement to tufts of wool. He firmly believes that the Javan tiger is alive.
Of all extinct animals, the Javan tiger is the biggest contender for its species status to be changed.
+ Mastodon
Photo: Momotarou2012
Mastodons became extinct about 11,000 years ago. According to one theory, they died out from tuberculosis. However, according to one fantastic piece of evidence, they were seen quite "recently", about 500 years ago.
In the 1560s, an Englishman named David Ingram ventured to America. He traveled 3,218 kilometers through what is now the United States. He told fantastic stories about visiting Indians, about gold jewelry and fluffy elephants.
That's right: he talked about seeing mastodons thousands of years after they supposedly died out like dodos. His story is quite easy to miss, but he also described the buffaloes and the general topography of the lands he visited in great detail.
Of course, it should be noted that unconfirmed reports of sightings of mastodons appear on the Internet today. However, it is rather curious how David Ingram managed to describe the mastodon in such detail. He also had no reason to assume that they lived in the territories of both Americas, and at that time he could not understand exactly what exactly he saw in front of him.
