Extinct Animals

1. West African Black RhinocerosThe West African Black Rhinoceros is a sub-species of the Black Rhinoceros which was
found in several countries towards the southeast region of Africa. Measuring 3-3.8 metres
long and 1.4-1.7 metres in height this rhino would have weighed 800-1,300 kg. It had two
horns, one measuring 0.5-1.3 metres and the other between 2-55cm. Their diet included leafy
plants and shoots. Some people believe their horns had medicinal properties though this
had no grounding in scientific fact - this lead to heavy poaching. Preservation actions were
taken in the 1930s to try to protect the dwindling Rhino numbers but since these protection
efforts declined over the years, so did the number of rhinos. By 1980 the numbers were in
the hundreds and further widespread poaching brought the species to extinction. The last
West African Black Rhino was seen in Cameroon in 2006. It was declared officially extinct in
2011.

Some scientists say we're in the middle of the sixth great extinction, and this one, unlike those
that happened millions of years ago, is driven largely by the activities of humans. Just the last
40 years we've lost an incredible variety of species, like these amazing creatures.

2. Pyrenean Ibex
3. One of four subspecies of the Spanish Ibex or Iberian Goat that was found in the Iberian
Peninsula. It tended to live in rocky habitats with cliffs and trees on high mountain slopes in
summer and warmer valleys during the winter. The Ibex had greyish brown fur that grew thicker
in winter with the males having black colouring on their legs, neck and face. The males also had
large, thick, ridged, curving horns but the females were much shorter and thinner. The Ibex would
grow to a height of 60-76cm at the shoulder and weigh 24-80 kg and fed mainly on grasses and
herbs. They were thought to have numbered 50,000 historically, but by the early 1900s its
numbers had fallen to fewer than 100. The exact cause of the Pyrenean Ibex's extinction is
unknown; scientists think a number of different factors contributed including poaching, disease
and the inability to compete with other mammals for food and habitat. The last Pyrenean Ibex
was found dead in northern Spain in the year 2000, killed by a falling tree.

4. Woolly Mammoth

An enormous mammal, believed to be closely related to the modern-day elephant.

Its ancestors migrated out of Africa about 3.5 million years ago, spreading across
northern Eurasia and North America; it is thought the Woolly Mammoth first
appeared more than 400,000 years ago. The creature could reach heights of 4
metres or more and could weigh over 6 tons! Covered in fur with an outer covering
of long hairs, short ears and tail to minimise heat loss and frost bite, it was well
adapted to the cold environment it existed in during the last ice-age. Its curved
tusks could easily be up to 5 metres long! The Woolly Mammoth eventually
disappeared from its mainland range 10,000 years ago, the cause of this is most
likely through a combination of hunting by humans, climate change (rapidly
melting ice had an enormous impact on their demise) and the disappearance of its
habitat. The last of the isolated woolly mammoth populations is believed to have
vanished from Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean around 1700BC.

4.Sabre-toothed CatOften called Sabre-toothed Tigers or Sabre-toothed Lions they existed 55 million to 11,700 years ago.
Sabre-tooth Cats were carnivores named for the elongated bladelike canine teeth in their upper jaw,
which in some species were up to 50cm long. Quite bear-like in build, they were believed to be excellent
hunters and hunted animals such as sloths and mammoths. These felines could open their jaws at an
angle of 120 degrees almost twice as wide as a modern lion! It is thought the Sabre-tooth Cats
extinction may be linked to the decline and extinction of large herbivores, which were replaced by
smaller and more agile ones like deer. Being specialized at hunting large prey they may have been
unable to adapt. Other explanations include climate change and competition with humans.

1 Golden Toad (1989)

The golden toad is not the only species to disappear

in the past 40 years, but it might just be
the brightest. This fluorescent amphibian was found in the high-altitude ridges of Costa Rica,
but thanks to pollution, global warming and fungal skin infections, the species became extinct in
1989.
Read on to find out about 10 other incredible species we've lost in the last several decades.
Wikipedia Commons

2 Zanzibar Leopard (1996)

One of several subspecies of leopard, the Zanzibar

leopard made its home on the Zanzibar
archipelago of Tanzania. It's still unclear whether this large cat is technically extinct there are
occasional unconfirmed sightings.
Cause of extinction: Locals believed the leopards were kept by witches, and aggressively
hunted them. The animals were seen as evil predators that must be exterminated and even
the government was in on the campaign. In the mid-'90s there was a short-lived conservation
effort but it was deemed too little, too late.

5 Tecopa Pupfish (1982)

the Mojave Desert, has the distinction of

The Tecopa pupfish, a native of the hot springs of
being the first animal declared extinct under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of
1973. The pupfish's decline was precipitated when its natural habitat was encroached upon by
developers.
Cause of extinction: Destruction of natural habitat.

6 Pyrenean Ibex (2000)

The last Pyrenean ibex died in 2000. However, a cloned ibex, created from skin samples taken
from the last Pyrenean ibex, was birthed in 2009. It died shortly after birth from lung
complications.
Cause of extinction: Hunting of the ibex had caused the animal's numbers to seriously dwindle
and conservationists blame the Spanish government for failing to act in time to save it.

7 West African Black Rhinoceros (2006)

The majestic West African black rhino was declared

extinct in 2006, after conservationists failed
to find any in their last remaining habitat in Cameroon. The West African black rhino was one of
four subspecies of rhinoceros.
Cause of extinction: Poachers hunted the rhino for its horn, which is believed by some in
Yemen and China to possess aphrodisiacal powers.

8 Javan Tiger (1979)

Similar in appearance to the Sumatran tiger, the Javan tiger was native to the Indonesian island
of Java. In the 1800s they were so common they were considered pests by island natives, but
as the island was developed their population dwindled. By the 1950s, only 20 tigers remained.
Cause of extinction: Loss of habitat and agricultural development led to severe population
decline. Conservation efforts in the 1940s and '50s were unsuccessful due to a lack of
adequate land and planning.
9 Spix's Macaw (2004)
Spix's Macaw, also called the Little Blue Macaw,was known for its beautiful blue feathers. While
some still exist in captivity, these tiny blue birds are extinct in the wild.
Cause of extinction: Habitat destruction and illegal trapping and trade contributed to the
macaw's dwindling numbers.
10 Round Island Burrowing Boa (1975)
Native to Round Island, a tiny island off the coast of Mauritius, the Round Island Burrowing Boa
preferred to live on the topsoil layers of volcanic slopes. It was once found on several other
islands around Mauritius, but its population had dwindled by the 1940s, and it could only be
found on Round Island after 1949. It was last seen in 1975.
Cause of extinction: The introduction of non-native species of rabbits and goats to the island
destroyed vegetation and upset the boa's habitat.