5 animals that humans have seen become extinct
For the most intelligent species on the planet, humans are surprisingly destructive and our actions have caused the very world we live in to drastically change. Between changing the temperature of the atmosphere to destroying countless acres of natural wilderness, it’s no surprise that many species have been wiped off the face of the earth. Over the past 400 years, there have been around 400 documented extinctions, but the real number would be much higher. It’s also estimated that over 99% of every species that’s ever lived on Earth is now extinct, but most of these existed during the earlier years of our planet, long before humans had a chance to make their mark. Out of the many species that have existed on our planet, here are 5 animals that humans have seen become extinct.
1) The woolly mammoth
extinct since 3,700 years ago
One of the most iconic animals of the ice age, the woolly mammoth was perfectly suited to exist in extremely cold climates. Their thick coat and skin made it possible to withstand temperatures that would easily kill a human, but this level of protection was also their downfall. When the last glacial period of the last ice age ended around 11,000 years ago, mammoth populations began to rapidly die, presumably from overheating. A single herd of mammoths managed to travel north and found themselves on Wrangel Island, a small and very cold piece of land located north of the furthest eastern point of Russia. They managed to survive there in the cold climate until around 3,700 years ago when they presumably died the same way as all the others.
2) The Dodo
extinct since 1690
The official date for the Dodo becoming extinct is 1690, though the last confirmed sighting was in 1662. There were a few claims of sightings that happened after this date but none that have been confirmed, with the date of 1690 being a universally agreed-on date based on the logic of “they must all be dead by now”. The main reasons that they went extinct were because of over-hunting, destruction of their habitat, and becoming prey to invasive species. One notable point of the Dodo is how unintelligent and curious they were, a dangerous combination when their wings were too small for flight. They made easy prey for anyone looking for a meal and became a favorite to hunt because they provided a good amount of meat and were easy to catch.
3) Tasmanian Tiger
extinct since 1920
This animal isn’t actually related to tigers at all and is much closer to being a type of dog. They existed in Australia as one of its native species, but upon the arrival of humans to the continent, their numbers rapidly plummeted. The Tasmanian tiger is a carnivorous animal and hunts anything smaller than itself, including farm animals and people’s pets. At one point they had a bounty placed on them and people hunted as many as they could find to cash them in and sell their furs. There were other factors that played into their extinction, such as loss of habitat and diseases introduced by humans and other animals, but the number one reason for this animal no longer existing was due to hunting.
4) The Sea cow
extinct since 1768
An animal similar to the manatee but much larger, the Stellers sea cow, named after the person who discovered it in 1741, lived around the coast of Alaska. They were very slow creatures and their massive size, which could be up to 9 meters long and weigh close to 10 tons, stopped them from being able to fully submerge their bodies, making them easy targets for human hunters. They were only ever encountered in small numbers and haven’t been found living in any other area of the world, but it only took humans 27 years to wipe them out through hunting.
5) Sabre-toothed tiger
extinct for 12,000 years
This massive breed of tiger lived across the Northern Hemisphere starting around 55 million years ago and went extinct around 12,000 years ago. They were huge creatures that had large canine teeth up to 50 cm long and were able to open their jaws well over 90 degrees, making their biting potential twice that of a modern lion. No one knows for sure why they went extinct, but it’s generally believed to be due to the end of the ice age. Not only had all the large game animals they hunted to survive gone extinct, but their bodies were not adaptable to the new climate, and like the woolly mammoth couldn’t survive in the new temperatures they faced.
