A list of extinct animals
Over time, many species on Earth have gone extinct due to natural disasters, human activities, climate change, and other factors. These extinct animals serve as a wake-up call for biodiversity conservation, reminding us to prioritize ecological protection. The following table lists some extinct animals and their related information.
Extinction animal table
| Animal Name | Extinction time | Habitat | Causes of extinction | Features Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dodo bird | Late 17th century | Mauritius | Human hunting and habitat destruction | Flightless birds are relatively large and move slowly. |
| Zebra | Late 19th century | South Africa | Overhunting by humans | A type of zebra with stripes on its front half and no stripes on its back half. |
| passenger pigeon | 1914 | North America | Human hunting and habitat loss | It was once one of the most numerous bird species in the world. |
| Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) | 1936 | Tasmania, Australia | Human hunting, disease, habitat loss | Marsupials, resembling wolves in appearance, with stripes on their backs. |
| Great Auk | Mid-19th century | North Atlantic coast | Human hunting, climate change | Flightless seabirds are skilled swimmers and divers. |
| Steller's manatee | Late 18th century | Bering Sea | Overhunting by humans | A large marine mammal that once lived near the coast. |
| Japanese sea lion | Mid-20th century | Japan offshore | Human hunting, fishing competition | Large sea lions that inhabit the coastal areas of Japan. |
| Javan tiger | Late 20th century | Java Island, Indonesia | Human hunting and habitat destruction | A smaller subspecies of tiger, whose habitat has been encroached upon by agricultural development. |
| Cocos Island Giant Tortoise | 2007 | Galapagos Islands | Hunting, habitat destruction | Giant tortoises, long-lived, slow-moving. |
| Golden Toad | 1989 | costa rica | Climate change, habitat loss | A bright orange-yellow small toad, found only in rainforests. |
| Barbary Lion | Mid-20th century | North Africa | Human hunting and habitat loss | A subspecies of African lion, known for its thick mane. |
| Irish Deer | Tens of thousands of years ago | Europe and Asia | Climate change, habitat loss | The largest deer species, the male deer has enormous antlers. |
| Long-nosed saber-toothed tiger | Tens of thousands of years ago | North America | Climate change, reduced prey population | A large carnivore with huge, sharp canine teeth. |
| Mammoth | Tens of thousands of years ago | North America, Eurasia | Climate change, human hunting | A giant mammal with thick fur and cold resistance. |
| moa | 19th century | New Zealand | Human hunting and habitat destruction | Large, flightless birds that were once endemic to New Zealand. |
Analysis of the causes of extinction
Human activities : Hunting, habitat destruction, and environmental pollution are the main causes of extinction for many animals. As the scope of human activities expands, the habitats of many animals are encroached upon by agriculture and urban development, causing them to lose their living space.
Climate change : Climate change has a profound impact on the survival of animals, especially during ice ages and global warming, when many species became extinct because they could not adapt to climate change.
Invasive species : Invasive species threaten native species through competition, predation, and other means, leading to the extinction of many native species. The extinction of the dodo bird on Mauritius Island due to the introduction of invasive predators is a typical example.
Disease : The spread of disease among animals is also a significant factor leading to species extinction, especially when habitats shrink or food chains are disrupted, disease spreads more rapidly.
The necessity of protecting existing endangered species
These extinct animals remind us of the importance of protecting endangered species. Currently, many species in the world are on the verge of extinction, and we need to prevent them from repeating this fate by protecting their habitats, restricting hunting, and mitigating the impacts of climate change. The disappearance of every species has a profound impact on ecosystems; therefore, protecting the Earth's biodiversity is our inescapable responsibility.
Although these animals have disappeared from the earth, their stories serve as a wake-up call. By understanding these extinct animals, we can gain a clearer understanding of the importance of environmental protection, and thus contribute to protecting existing species and maintaining ecological balance.
What are some endangered animals?
Below is a list of endangered animals, presented in tabular form, showing their basic information, including species name, habitat, endangerment level, and main threats.
endangered animal table
| Animal Name | Habitat | Endangered status | Key Threats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant panda | Bamboo Forest Areas in China | Vulnerable (VU) | Habitat loss and bamboo forest reduction |
| snow leopard | Central Asian mountainous areas | Vulnerable (VU) | Habitat destruction and poaching |
| Western lowland gorillas | Central African Rainforest | Critically Endangered (CR) | Diseases (such as Ebola), poaching |
| Sumatran tiger | Sumatra, Indonesia | Critically Endangered (CR) | Habitat loss, illegal hunting |
| Sea turtles (such as hawksbill sea turtles) | Tropical and subtropical seas | Critically Endangered (CR) | Marine pollution, poaching, and entanglement in fishing nets |
| Amazon River Pufferfish | Amazon River Basin in South America | Endangered (EN) | Habitat destruction, pollution, and fishing activities |
| Philippine Eagle | Philippine rainforest | Critically Endangered (CR) | Habitat loss, illegal hunting |
| Blue Whale | Global Oceans | Endangered (EN) | Ship collisions, fishing net entanglements, marine pollution |
| Black rhinoceros | Southern and Eastern Africa | Critically Endangered (CR) | Poaching (primarily for rhinoceros horns), habitat loss |
| South China tiger | southern china | Critically Endangered (CR) | Habitat loss, poaching |
| Przewalski's horse | China and the Mongolian grasslands | Endangered (EN) | Habitat destruction and competition for resources with livestock |
| Endangered parrots (such as hyacinth parrots) | Brazilian Amazon rainforest | Critically Endangered (CR) | illegal capture, habitat loss |
| Western slow loris | Southeast Asian rainforest | Endangered (EN) | Illegal pet trade, habitat loss |
| Red Wolf | Southeastern United States | Critically Endangered (CR) | Habitat loss, hybridization with gray wolves |
| Giant Otter | South American Rivers and Wetlands | Endangered (EN) | Habitat loss, illegal hunting |
| Galapagos giant tortoise | Galapagos Islands | Endangered (EN) | Habitat destruction and competition from invasive species |
| Scarlet Nautilus | Indo-Pacific waters | Vulnerable (VU) | Fishing pressure, climate change |
| Blue-crowned parrot | Australia | Endangered (EN) | Habitat destruction and illegal trade |
| Spotted owl | Tropical rainforests of Central and South America | Critically Endangered (CR) | Habitat loss, hunting |
| Short-tailed albatross | Southern Ocean and North Pacific | Critically Endangered (CR) | Climate change, fishing nets |
Key Threats
Habitat loss : Deforestation, urban expansion, agricultural development, and other factors have caused many animals to lose their homes, especially those in tropical rainforests.
Poaching and illegal trade : The main reason for poaching is to satisfy human demand for animal fur, horns, teeth, scales, and other organs. Illegal hunting has led to a sharp decline in the numbers of many animals, even pushing them to the brink of extinction.
Climate change : Global warming threatens the survival of polar, marine and alpine animals, causing their habitats to gradually disappear or become uninhabitable.
Environmental pollution : Chemical pollution, plastic pollution, and marine pollution pose significant threats to endangered animals, especially marine life which faces threats from plastic waste and fishing gear.
As human activities increasingly impact the Earth's environment, more and more animals are facing extinction. Protecting these endangered animals is not only about protecting biodiversity, but also about protecting the Earth's ecological balance. By reducing habitat destruction, banning illegal hunting, and controlling climate change, we can buy more time for these endangered animals to survive.
