Endangered and extinct animals. Animals that disappeared due to human fault: list, features and interesting facts

The population of which is either falling at a rapid pace, or is improving, but is still catastrophically small.

Natural phenomena and human factor are one of the main reasons for the decline in the numbers of some rare animals.

The rarest animals on Earth are included in the International Red Book.

Here is just a small part of these unique representatives of the animal world.

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Rare animals of the world: Tarantula spider (Poecilotheria metallica)

In addition to being incredibly rare, this member of the animal kingdom is also one of the most beautiful tarantulas. This spider lives in the tropical forests of southwestern India, building houses high in the treetops. Younger representatives of this species live at the roots of the tree, where they can dig holes and weave thick webs around them. In case of danger, they hide in their holes.

14

Animals listed in the International Red Book: Madagascar beak-breasted turtle (Astrochelys yniphora)

This type land turtles, also known as the critically endangered angonoka. Endemic to Madagascar, the IUCN Rare Species Commission has declared it one of the most “vulnerable” animal species on our planet. Today, Angonoku can be found in a small area in the north-west of the island of Madagascar. The density of these animals in nature does not exceed 5 individuals per square kilometer. In total there are 250-300 individuals per 100 square meters. km. In captivity you can find 50 representatives of this species.

13

Animals from the Red Book: Peters's proboscis blenny (Rhynchocyon petersi)

In the International Red Book this rare view animals are listed as "at risk of becoming endangered". Also known as the red-shouldered blenny, this mammal, a member of the jumping family, lives in Africa. The species received its name in honor of the German zoologist Wilhelm Peters. Peters's proboscis blenny can be found in the forests of southeastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania.

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Animals of the Red Book (photo): Angelfish (Squatina squatina)

Listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the International Red List, the sea angelfish (also known as the European squatfish) can be found in the seas of the northeast Atlantic, particularly in the hot and temperate zones. Representatives of this species of shark from the order Squatinidae are similar to stingrays due to their enlarged pectoral and ventral fins. They are most often found on the ocean floor and feed mainly on flounder fish.

11

Animals of the International Red List: Northern long-haired wombat (Lasiorhinus)

Being on the verge of extinction, this wombat is considered one of the rarest animals on our planet. There are fewer of them on Earth than Sumatran tigers. There is only one extremely small population left in national park Epping Forest, which is located in the center of Queensland, Australia. Scientists believe that the reason for the decrease in the population of these animals is changes in their habitat. Add to this the fact that wombats are the favorite prey of dingoes. Wombats usually live in eucalyptus forests, meadows with lush grass and loose soil.

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Animals listed in the Red Book: Hunter's bubal (Beatragus hunteri)

Also known as hirola, this species from the genus hirola is listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the Red List. The hirola lives in the northeastern regions of Kenya and the southwestern regions of Somalia. Before this species became rare, its representatives inhabited an area of ​​17,900 - 20,500 square meters. km. Today, their distribution area is about 8,000 square meters. km.

9

Rare animals from the Red Book: Small-toothed sawfly (Pristis microdon)

Also listed in the Red Book as a “Critically Endangered Species”, the sawnose ray is a fish from the family of saw-nosed rays. The habitat of these representatives of the animal world is the waters of the Indo-Pacific region. Sometimes these rays can enter rivers.

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Animal species in the Red Book: Tonkin rhinopithecus (Rhinopithecus avunculus)

This species of mammal of the monkey family is also on the verge of extinction. Already at the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, the range was quite limited. Representatives of this species were found only in the forest near the Song Coy River in Vietnam. Tonkin Rhinopithecus was discovered in the provinces of Tien Kwang and Vac Tai. IN given time monkeys can also be found in several other provinces of Vietnam.

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Rare and endangered animals: Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)

This mammal from the genus of Sumatran rhinoceroses is listed in the International Red Book as a “Critically Endangered Species”. Moreover, it is the only surviving member of its genus and the smallest member of the rhinoceros family. Animal habitat lowland and mountain secondary forests, humid rainforests and swamps located at an altitude of up to 2,500 meters above sea level.

6

Rare and endangered animal species: Spotted-tailed marsupial marten (Dasyurus maculatus)

This species is listed in the Red Book as “Nearly Vulnerable”. The tiger cat (as it is also called) is the second largest marsupial predator, and the first place belongs to Tasmanian devil. It is also worth noting that the tiger cat is the largest marsupial predator on mainland Australia. Currently, the Spotted-tailed marsupial marten can be seen in two isolated populations - one located in northern Queensland, Australia, and the other in east coast, in an area that stretches from southern Queensland to Tasmania. It usually lives in humid rain forests and among coastal thickets.

5

Rare species of animals from the Red Book: Philippine sika deer (Cervus alfredi)

The fur of this rare animal has a reddish-golden color. Small white spots are “scattered” against this background. Habitat: tropical forests of the islands of the Philippine archipelago. We managed to capture this deer on film quite recently. It is worth noting that the main enemy of this animal is the wolf. Most deer die in March-April - the season when animals are weakened by wintering.

4

Rare endangered animals: Visayas warty pig (Sus cebifrons)

This animal was included in the World Red Book in 1988. In just 60 years (3 generations of the Visayas warty pig), the number of this representative of the fauna has decreased by 80%. The reasons for the catastrophic decline in the population are uncontrolled hunting, transformation of the natural habitat and inbreeding. Today, this animal can only be found on 2 islands - Negro and Panay.

3

Very rare animals: Florida cougar (Puma concolor coryi)

Listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the International Red List, this animal is the rarest of the puma species. In 2011, their number on Earth was only about 160 individuals (despite the fact that in the 1970s, this figure dropped to 20). The usual habitat of this puma is forests and swamps. South Florida(USA), mainly to occupy the area of ​​the Big Cypress National Preserve. The number of these animals began to fall mainly due to the draining of swamps, sport hunting and poisoning.

2

Rare animals of Africa: White lion

It is worth noting that White Lion is a specific polymorphism with a genetic disease - leucism, which leads to a lighter coat color. Despite the fact that this manifestation is, in fact, the opposite of melanism, white lions are still not albino - they have natural pigmentation of their eyes and skin. The fact that white lions exist was proven only at the end of the 20th century. In 1975, white lion cubs were first discovered in the Timbavati Game Reserve in South Africa.

Rare animals: white lion (video)

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Rare protected animals: Irbis, or snow leopard (Uncia uncia, Panthera uncia)

This large predatory mammal lives in mountain ranges Central Asia. The snow leopard, a member of the cat family, has a thin, long, flexible body and rather short legs. It is also distinguished by its small head and long tail. Today the number of snow leopards is very small. It is included in the IUCN Red List ( International Union nature protection), in the Red Book of Russia, and other protection documents of various countries.

Human expansion is not in vain. Due to the expansion of arable land and the cutting down of hundreds of hectares of forests and jungles, many species of living beings are on the verge of extinction. This leads to serious disturbances in the ecosystem, which can cause others, more... Animals that become extinct because of humans are unlikely to come back; they serve as a constant reminder of the fragility of nature. Next, we will consider the most famous creatures, in the disappearance of which it was man who played an unenviable role.

Sea cow

One of the most striking examples of the extermination of an entire species is the hunting of sea cows or cabbage ducks. This type sea ​​creatures discovered by Bering's expedition in 1741. Sea cows had a trait that became the main reason for their extinction - delicious meat. In addition, the complete lack of fear of humans only contributed to their destruction, which was taken advantage of by hunters, along with the indigenous population and poachers. Already in 1768 the species became completely extinct. Among the sea cow's closest relatives, only the dugong stands out, but even these creatures balance on a very fine line...

The Javan tiger is one of the smallest, compared to other representatives of the species. Weight Limit males weighed 140 kg, and females - 115 kg, while they were significantly smaller in body length. The first bell rang in the 1950s, when the tiger population on the island of Java suddenly dropped to 20-25 individuals. Subsequently, the situation only worsened, and already in 1979 only three tigers remained alive. The exact time when Javan tigers disappeared completely is still unknown. Presumably this happened in the mid-1980s. The main reason The death of the species is considered to be hunting, as well as a serious reduction in habitat due to deforestation.

However, some researchers are inclined to believe that some Javan tigers may well have survived. Local residents periodically notice creatures that resemble a tiger, but most scientists believe that they are seeing ordinary leopards, which from a distance may resemble the extinct animals.

This species of marsupial wolf is the only one that has been completely destroyed by humans, from beginning to end. These animals were quite widespread in Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. The first meeting of Europeans with this creature dates back to the 18th century, but already at the beginning of the 19th century, uncontrolled hunting and shooting began for marsupial wolves. Farmers believed that Tasmanian wolves were constantly attacking sheep and mercilessly destroyed them, seriously reducing the number of these animals. The disaster occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, when an outbreak of a mysterious disease, presumably canine distemper, broke out in Australia, which struck wolves, threatening their existence. However, they were not even included in the list of protected species. As a result, in 1930, hunters overtook the last wild marsupial wolf, and in 1936, the only remaining representative of the species died of old age.

Subsequently, scientists found that weak jaws did not give the Tasmanian wolf the opportunity to kill sheep, but this was one of the main reasons for its destruction.

Many years ago a little south of the river Limpopo was grazed by huge herds of quaggas, the number of which reached several thousand. Quaggas roamed in search of food. Their appearance resembled a mixture of a zebra, a donkey and a horse. The body length was about 1 m 80 cm, and the weight was close to 350 kg. However, the shape of the body and head - short, like a shorn mane, as well as the tail with a tassel at the end, made it clear that this was a zebra, just rather unusual. When Dutch colonists (Boers) arrived on these lands, they began to consider quaggas as competitors for their livestock and even organized real raids on them. Quagga meat is tasteless, but people made belts from its strong skin, and made wineskins from their stomachs for storing and carrying water. The colonists pushed the quaggas further north, built farms and pastures, and allocated land for crops. Later, in the mid-19th century, the British conquered the Cape Colony, and the Boers went south. When in South Africa were open large deposits gold, the rapid development of industry began, which entailed increasing development of territories. In 1878, the last representatives of the endangered species were killed.

This primitive wild bull is considered the progenitor of all large cattle. One of his closest living relatives is the Watussi. Tur lived in the steppes and forest-steppes of the entire Eastern Hemisphere. Turs became extinct as a result of active development Agriculture, expansion of lands and targeted hunting organized by people. These animals were very powerful and looked like this:

• the height of this tall and strong animal reached 180 cm at the withers;
• the weight of large males was about 800 kg;
• characteristic sharp and long horns;
• the black color of the body with a white longitudinal stripe distinguished the males from the general herd;
• females, cubs and young animals were brown.

In the warm season, animals preferred to live in separate small groups, strong individuals even on their own, and by winter they all gathered in large herds. Turs were quite aggressive and could handle a wide variety of predators.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the remnants of once large herds lived in the forested and inaccessible territories of Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. They had the status of park animals that were protected by law. But the inevitable still came, and in 1627 there were no tours on Earth. Now enthusiasts are seeking to revive tours. And this can be done. The Spanish bull, bred in the thirties of the last century in Germany, the Heck bull, as well as the fighting bulls that take part in bullfighting, have many things in common biological properties with extinct animals.

This type of bird lived in deciduous forests North America, breeded near the Great Lakes. Their name corresponds to the way of life that was characteristic of these pigeons. They constantly flew, even over long distances, in search of better food and safe nesting sites. This was also facilitated by the flight speed, which was approximately 100 km/h. Their flocks were huge, and their numbers reached three and even five billion. Pigeons ate small insects, worms, seeds of plants and trees. Passenger pigeons were a constant object of hunting for the Indians, but with the advent of Europeans, especially in the 19th century, the number of pigeons began to decline sharply. But this did not stop the hunters. The tasty meat of pigeons was quite cheap, which, along with deforestation, which reduced their habitat, was the reason for the drama that ensued. After 1870 there followed a sharp decline in bird numbers. The last wild specimen was killed in 1901.

IN Lately A movement is gaining strength all over the world, uniting people who are trying to save small groups of animals already facing terrible trait, and those who are just beginning to be threatened with extinction. , extinct due to the fault of man, serve as a silent reproach for past and future generations of the entire population of our planet. We must not allow this sad list to be replenished again.

Even though “Homo sapiens” is the pinnacle of evolution, capable of thinking intelligently, extinct animals and plants due to human fault are not uncommon.

Constant hunting of valuable species of animals, deforestation, drainage of rivers and lakes due to the expansion of industry - all this inevitably leads to the extermination and extinction of various representatives of the animal world.

The depressing fact is that over the past 100 years, the Red Book has been replenished by several dozen representatives. And currently, despite the global protection of endangered animals, representatives of some species are still on the brink.

What species of animals that have disappeared due to human fault are in the Red Book?

Western black rhinoceros

The Society for the Protection and Conservation of Nature sounded the alarm back in 1930, when individuals of the western black rhinoceros began to rapidly disappear. The species was immediately taken under official protection.

But in 2011, the western rhinoceros was listed as an animal species that had disappeared due to human fault. Bans on hunting this mammal were ignored by poachers, who caused the extinction of black rhinoceroses.

Japanese sea lion

The Japanese sea lion once lived in the waters of the Sea of ​​Japan near the coasts of Korea and Japan, about Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.

These were large coastal inhabitants: males reached a length of 2.3 and 2.5 meters, and their weight ranged from 450 to 560 kg; females were smaller - from 1.4 to 1.6 meters. The color of lions was dark gray, dark brown, and older representatives of the species became almost black.

But since 1974 this sea ​​lion listed among the animals that disappeared due to human fault. It was widely hunted by fishermen, even though these mammals very rarely ventured into open waters seas. They spent most of their lives on the coasts.

Dusky Sea Sparrow

Sea sparrows are representatives of extinct birds that lived in Florida along the shores of the St. Johns River. They led sedentary image lives and did not fly to other territories.

Daxie was first talked about as a species after its discovery on March 17, 1872 by Charles Johnson Maynard. And already in 1873, the Dusky sea sparrow was classified as a separate species.

The sea sparrow was distinguished from other similar species by its black, variegated chest color and special trills, unlike the usual “chirp”.

In 1987, the last representative of the species was destroyed. All that remains is the name of the animals that disappeared due to human fault.

Mauritian dodo

It’s amazing what animals have disappeared due to human fault! Take, for example, the same dodo, or the Mauritian dodo.

This is a representative of birds that was larger than many other bird species. Dodos reached a height of 1 meter, and their weight averaged 20 kg. Dodos did not fly, but moved on the ground. The need for flight was eliminated due to the fact that in Mauritius (their habitat) on earth there was no threat to them in the form of any predatory animals.

There is no complete description of the plumage colors of these birds, since no scientific information to help create an accurate “portrait” has been preserved or simply did not exist. Find out about appearance these feathered animals that have disappeared due to the fault of man can be summarized from literary works, for example from "Alice in Wonderland".

Dodos were completely exterminated in the 17th century, although this fact was not recognized for a long time.

Passenger pigeon

This representative of birds once lived in the forests of North America. The cause of the death of pigeons was hunting for them, as well as mass felling forest areas. In 1883, mass nesting of passenger pigeons was recorded in these places. The last individuals were recorded in 1900 in the forests of Ohio, USA. And on September 1, 1914, the very last representative died - the female Martha, who lived in the zoological garden of one of the towns in the USA.

The passenger pigeon did not survive to this day, so about him external signs one has to learn from the descriptions of ornithologists of those years. The body reached a length of 35-40 cm, and the wingspan was 20 cm.

The bird's head and lower back were bluish in color, and its back was brown; chest with a hint of red. The eyes were scarlet. Very young individuals resembled more mature females, but their feathers did not have an iridescent sheen.

Abingdon elephant tortoise

June 24, 2012 is the date of extinction of the most recent representative of these turtles. Lonely George, whose fate was under the close attention of scientists (and not only) long years consecutively, died at the age of 100. Their last years This turtle spent his life on the island. Santa Cruz on the territory of the scientific station named after. Darwin.

The cause of death of the Abingdon turtles was the human factor. For a long time people hunted these animals en masse, filled ship holds with them during travel, and ate turtle meat.

Animals that disappeared due to human fault in Russia

Where else, if not in Russia, can you find a huge variety of animals and flora? A huge area of ​​the country is inhabited by various representatives of animals: vertebrates alone number 1,500 species. And it is in Russia that there are simply a huge number of animals that have disappeared due to human fault. What species can no longer be seen in their natural habitat?

Bighorn deer

These now extinct mammals were also called megaceros. Their distribution area was impressive: from the Irish lands to the territory North Africa. Of course, they also captured Russia. Archaeologists often find the remains of big-horned deer in Ryazan and Sverdlovsk regions, the Republic of Crimea and the North Caucasus.

Big-horned deer were truly amazingly beautiful animals. Their main feature were huge branched horns, which reached a length of 4 meters and weighed 37 kg. Such a heavy burden was a serious obstacle in overcoming long distances, as well as in escaping from enemies.

This is one of those animal species that disappeared due to human fault several thousand years ago. Approximately 7.6 thousand years ago, the last individuals inhabited our planet and it was then that they were destroyed at the hands of hunters. Although, according to some research data, the reason for the disappearance of these deer was sudden change climate.

Cave bear

300,000 years ago in the territory of many European countries, as well as within Russia: on the Russian Plain, the Urals, in Western Siberia- lived an extinct species, a relative of the modern brown bear - the cave bear.

His appearance was very frightening: enormous growth, which was 1/3 higher than the height of a brown bear. The weight was almost a ton. Huge paws, stern appearance. But, no matter how evil this representative of mammals was, he posed a threat to humans extremely rarely. The cave bear ate wild honey and plant foods.

Ancient people hunted this animal. Its warm fur and healthy meat became the cause of extermination. And the existence of the cave bear finally ended 15,000 years ago.

Sea cow

This representative of the siren order is also called the Steller's cow, as well as the cabbage cow.

During their existence, sea cows were the object of active and fairly easy hunting. The animals were very calm, slow and peaceful. Their slowness was justified by their huge parameters:

• body length was 7-10 meters;
• weight - from 4 to 10 tons.

To kill such a giant, hunters had only to come close to the animal chewing algae and immobilize it with a blow to the head. sea ​​cow. Problems arose later, when it was necessary to pull the carcass of a dead animal out of the water.

People were attracted to Steller's cow by:

• Easily available nutritious meat. From one killed cow, people harvested about 3 tons of meat. This amount was enough to feed 30 men for 1 month.
• Fat that was used to fill lamps. The light was bright, there was no soot or fumes.
• The skin from which durable boats were made.

In the 18th century, cows were completely destroyed.

Transcaucasian tiger

Armenia, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, southern Kazakhstan and Turkey - the Transcaucasian, or Turanian, tiger used to live in these lands.

It was a large representative of the cat family, whose weight reached 240 kg. The color of its fur was fiery red, and its length was longer than that of modern representatives.

At first these animals were destroyed because they were considered very dangerous. But still, the main reason for hunting them was the need to increase the boundaries of agricultural production. The last individual of the Transcaucasian tiger living near Tashkent was destroyed by the Russian Prince Golitsyn in 1906.

And in 1957, the last representative of this species was noticed on the territory of the USSR in Turkmenistan.

Finally

Today, there is a main source that lists the names of animals that have disappeared due to human fault - the Red Book. Only this “book of memory” is evidence that some representatives of the animal world once lived on Earth.

The main cause of animal death is expansion industrial activity humans, during which colossal deforestation occurs, drainage of rivers and lakes - all the places that are their habitat. Well, and, of course, hunting, which is continuously carried out for many species of animals.

Unfortunately, people are too late to protect those species whose representatives can literally be counted on the fingers of one hand. And what is most depressing is that many species died precisely because of humans and continue to die out. 40% of the total number of all animals on the planet is on the verge of total extinction.

The earth is teeming with life: thousands of species of vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, fish and birds); invertebrates (insects, crustaceans and protozoa); trees, flowers, shrubs and herbs; the amazing variety of bacteria, algae and other single-celled organisms that inhabit some of the hot vents deep sea volcanoes. And yet, this rich abundance of flora and fauna dwarfs the ecosystems of the deep past: it is estimated that since the beginning of life on Earth, an incredible 99.9% of all species have gone extinct.

Why? You can get some insight into the main reasons why animals are disappearing from the face of the Earth by reading the 10 points below.

This is the first thing that most people associate with the word "animal extinctions", and for good reason, since we all know about the consequences of the asteroid impact on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, which led to the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. It is likely that many of Earth's mass extinctions were caused by similar events, and astronomers are constantly on the lookout for comets or meteorites that could destroy human civilization.

Even without the impact of a large asteroid or comet that could potentially lead to a significant drop in temperature, climate change represents constant danger for most animals. We need look no further than the end of the past ice age, about 11,000 years ago, when various megafauna were unable to adapt to rapidly increasing temperatures (they also suffered from lack of food and hunting by humans).

We all know about the long-term threats of global warming - a gift of modern civilization!

3. Diseases

Although it is unusual for a disease to alone destroy whole view, but due to food shortages, habitat loss and lack of genetic diversity, the introduction of a particularly deadly virus or bacteria at the wrong time can cause irreparable damage. Evidence for this theory can be found among amphibians, which fall prey to a fungal infection that infects the skin of frogs, toads, newts and salamanders, killing them within weeks. Also illustrative example, serves as a plague pandemic that killed more than a third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages.

Most animal species need a certain territory in which they can obtain food, reproduce and raise offspring, and (if necessary) expand their population. One bird can be content with a branch tall tree, while large carnivorous mammals(for example, Bengal tigers) measure their territory in square kilometers. As human civilization inexorably expands wildlife, natural environments habitats are decreasing, thereby limiting and reducing animal populations, making them more susceptible to the effects of other extinction factors listed in this article.

5. Lack of genetic diversity

Once a species declines, there is little choice of available mates and a corresponding lack of genetic diversity. This means that it is much better to marry a completely stranger than for cousin, since you risk getting offspring that are genetically unhealthy and susceptible to diseases. A good example, is an African cheetah suffering due to a sharp decline in numbers due to low genetic diversity, thereby reducing the species' resilience to survival.

6. Adaptation to a changing environment

This is where we risk succumbing to a dangerous tautology: by definition, “better adapted” populations will always outperform those that lag behind, but it is often not known exactly who is better fit. For example, no one would have thought that prehistoric mammals were better adapted than dinosaurs until the Earth was hit by an asteroid. It typically takes thousands, sometimes millions of years, to identify species that are more adaptable, but the fact is that the vast majority of animals go extinct within that period of time.

7. Invasive species

While most species struggle to survive for eons (a period of time in geological history), sometimes natural selection passes occurs more bloody and is one-sided. If a plant or animal from one ecosystem is accidentally moved to another, it can spread wildly, wiping out native populations. That's why American botanists wince at the mention of kudzu, a weed that was introduced from Japan in the late 19th century and is now spreading at a rate of 150,000 hectares a year, crowding out native vegetation.

8. Lack of food

Mass starvation is a quick, one-way and sure-fire road to extinction, especially since populations weakened by starvation are more vulnerable to disease and predators. For example, imagine that scientists found a way to eliminate malaria forever by eradicating all mosquitoes from the face of the Earth. At first glance, this may seem like good news for people, but remember the domino effect. All creatures that feed on mosquitoes (such as bats and frogs) will become extinct, followed by animals that feed bats and frogs, and so on down the food chain. Agree, not the most prosperous scenario.

9. Pollution

Marine animals such as fish, seals, corals and crustaceans are extremely sensitive to traces of toxic chemical substances in lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. Dramatic changes in oxygen levels caused by industrial pollution can lead to the extinction of many aquatic animal populations. Although there is no evidence that environmental disasters (such as oil spills) have caused the extinction of entire species, chronic exposure to pollution can make plants and animals more susceptible to other threats on this list.

10 people

Humans have only colonized the Earth in the last 50,000 years, so it is unfair to blame Homo Sapens for the extinction of most animal species. However, there is no doubt that we have caused environmental devastation over short period time, exterminating entire species of animals.

Are we wise enough now to stop our reckless behavior? Time will show!

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A large number of animal species have disappeared forever, many of them due to human fault. Now they can only be seen in museums, or in computer reconstructions by scientists. Here are some of the animals that have sunk into oblivion.

Probably 1 of the most famous extinct birds. Serenely existing flightless bird The pigeon order has lost its instinct of self-preservation due to the lack of predators feeding on them on the islands of its habitat. The dodo lived on the islands: Mauritius, Rodrigues, Regyon.

The reason for the disappearance of the dodo was the development of such islands by Europeans. Soon after, as the Portuguese and Dutch began to explore and explore these islands, they started the countdown to the extinction of this species. The fact is that the sailors brought from the ships: dogs, cats and obligatory passengers - rats. All these animals, having “landed” on the island, began to destroy the helpless Dodo nests (That’s what the sailors called these birds, probably from the port. doudo - stupid, crazy) Also because nutritional value dodos were killed for meat, and it was very easy to kill dodos - the sailors simply approached them and beat them to death with sticks and stones, while the poor bird offered almost no resistance.

Probably the last dodo died in 1761. Currently, experiments are underway in Oxford to restore the DNA of this bird.

The fate of this animal was slightly happier than that of the dodo. Naturally, the quagga became extinct many years ago, more precisely in 1883 in a zoo. This odd-toed ungulate existed in the vast expanses of South Africa and was domesticated by humans to prevent predators from attacking flocks of chickens, while quaggas shouted “quaho” for which they were so named. However, the project to revive the quagga, launched in 1983, was crowned with success. 20 Jan. In 2005, a quagga foal, Henry, was born. Experts will subsequently be able to bring the quagga species back to life, and after a while they will again frolic in the vastness of Africa.

The Moa or Elephant Bird, which reached gigantic sizes, lived in New Zealand. These birds, resembling ostriches in appearance, reached a length of 3.5 m and weighed about 350 kg. walked the lands of New Zealand until 1500, until the aborigines destroyed them entirely. However, according to some information, such birds were seen as early as the 19th century. Unfortunately, there is no data on population recovery of this species. However, experts have found that the closest relative of the moa is the Tinamou bird.

This peculiar animal has a very mysterious fate. According to reliable data, the last marsupial wolf died in a private zoo in 1936, although there have been and will be facts of the existence of the marsupial wolf. The species of marsupial wolf itself lived and developed in Tasmania, where its worst enemy, the dingo dog, did not exist. There this animal lived quietly until 1863, then uncontrolled shooting led to the death of a large population of this species, and canine plague brought by dogs of a different species completely by 1930 led to the partial disappearance of the marsupial wolf. Fortunately, today experts have a working wolf DNA gene and can clone it. There is also information that a very small fraction of the species survived in the dense forests of Tasmania, but unfortunately it has not yet been possible to photograph or capture it.

Unlike all previous species, this one is extinct forever. This animal lived in the Falkland Islands and was the only native land mammals such islands. The fox had very beautiful fur (for which it was uncontrollably destroyed) and could bark like a dog. The main reason for the extinction of the fox was the Scottish colonists who killed this predator as a threat to the sheep flock. To date, there is no clue to restore the species. There are no forests in Falkland where a fox could hide, so we will never be able to see one.

It took man only 27 years to destroy an entire species.

Marine mammal of the sirenian order. Length up to 10 m, weighed up to 4 tons.

Habitat: Commander Islands (although there is evidence of habitat also off the coast of Kamchatka and the Northern Kuril Islands). This sedentary, toothless, dark-brown animal, mostly 6-8 m long with a forked tail, lived in shallow bays, could hardly dive, and ate algae. Although man, because of the fat and meat of a defenseless cow, heartlessly killed her. It took a person only 27 years to destroy an entire species... However, fortunately, hopes for cloning exist - in one of the laboratories there is a piece of cow skin preserved in alcohol, from which it is possible to extract DNA for cloning. However, today there is information about the appearance of a cow off the coast of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands islands. Naturally, it’s sad to read about sad fate It is especially unpleasant for such animals that humans are to blame for their disappearance. However, what has happened has happened, you need to look forward, without looking back. Today, in the age of technology, we can clone many species of extinct animals and bring them back to life.