Recently Extinct Animal Facts
The emergence and success of human beings as a species on the earth has brought about the extinction of numerous species of animals. From its humble beginnings humans have thrived and pushed many animals to extinction or near extinction due to over-hunting and the destruction and alteration of animal habitats. On this page we list recently extinct animal facts. Here you will find interesting information about a few of the animals that have become extinct within the last few centuries and how humans have contributed to their demise. Included are mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. For each animal you will find out where it lived, when it became extinct, and why it no longer roams the earth.
Obviously we cannot cover all the animals that have become extinct due to actions of human beings however we hope this small sample gives you an idea of some of the amazing animals that have been lost forever.
For more detailed information and facts about extinct animals visit the other pages of this section which is intended for reading by both kids and adults.
List of Recently Extinct Animals
- Dodo Bird - When asked to name a recently extinct animal most kids and adults will likely say the Dodo Bird. This flightless bird lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Last sighted in 1662 it was hunted by humans and killed by animals including dogs and pigs introduced into it's habitat by humans.
- Great Auk - Once plentiful in the costal waters of the North Atlantic Ocean it was hunted to extinction in the mid 1800s mainly for its down.
- Passenger Pigeon - The Passenger Pigeon, which was one of the most populous birds in the world, was once found across most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains. Because of over-hunting and deforestation the passenger bird was wiped out in 1914.
- Caspian Tiger - This magnificent large predator once inhabited sparse forest areas near the Caspian Sea and east through Central Asia into China. Its survival faced many challenges including reckless hunting, destruction of its habitat, and the decrease in the population of wild pigs (one of its main foods) due to hunting. This species met its demise in early 1970s.
- Sea Mink - The Sea Mink became extinct in the late 1800s. Once plentiful along the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean in New England and Canada it was hunted to extinction for its valuable fur.
- Steller's Sea Cow - This large marine mammal lived along the coastlines of the Commander Islands in the Bering Sea. It was hunted for food, for its skin (used to make boats), and for its fat (used for food and oil lamp fuel). It became extinct around 1768.
- Xerces Blue butterfly - This butterfly was last seen around 1943. This insect's habitat was the sand dunes in the San Francisco bay area of California. It became extinct due to a loss of habitat brought about by urban development.
- Pinta Island Tortoise - In 2012 the last known member of this species that lived on the Galapagos Islands died. The species was a victim of hunting and the introduction by humans of animals like wild goats that ate the vegetation that made up its food source.
