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Inventory of extinct animals

2024-09-18 17:29:49 86

As time goes by, many species on Earth are becoming extinct due to natural disasters, human activities, climate change and other reasons. These extinct animals have sounded the alarm for us to protect biodiversity and remind us to pay attention to ecological and environmental protection. The following lists some extinct animals and their related information, displayed in a table.

Table of extinct animals

Animal nameExtinction timeHabitatCause of extinctionCharacteristic description
DodoLate 17th centuryMauritius IslandHunting by humans, habitat destructionFlightless birds, large in size, slow in movement.
QuaggaLate 19th centurySouth AfricaOverhunting by humansA type of zebra with stripes on the front and no stripes on the back.
Passenger pigeon1914North AmericaHunting by humans, loss of habitatOnce one of the most numerous birds in the world.
Tasmanian tiger1936Tasmania, AustraliaHunting by humans, disease, habitat lossA marsupial with a wolf-like appearance and stripes on its back.
Great aukMid-19th centuryNorth Atlantic coastHunting by humans, climate changeA flightless seabird that is good at swimming and diving.
Steller's Sea CowLate 18th centuryBering SeaHuman overhuntingLarge marine mammal that once lived near the coast.
Japanese Sea LionMid-20th centuryOffshore JapanHuman hunting, fishery competitionLarge sea lion that lives along the coast of Japan.
Javan tigerLate 20th centuryJava Island, IndonesiaHuman hunting, habitat destructionA smaller tiger subspecies whose habitat has been eroded by agricultural development.
Cocos Island tortoise2007Galapagos IslandsHunting, habitat destructionA giant land tortoise with a long lifespan and slow speed.
Golden Toad1989Costa RicaClimate change, habitat lossA small, bright orange-yellow toad found only in rainforests.
Barbary LionMid-20th centuryNorth AfricaHunting by humans, habitat lossA subspecies of African lion known for its heavy mane.
Irish Giant DeerThousands of years agoEurope and AsiaClimate change, habitat lossThe largest deer, male deer have huge antlers.
Long-nosed Sabre-toothed TigerThousands of years agoNorth AmericaClimate change, prey reductionLarge carnivore with huge and sharp canine teeth.
MammothTens of thousands of years agoNorth America, EurasiaClimate change, human huntingGiant mammals with thick fur and cold resistance.
Moa19th centuryNew ZealandHuman hunting, habitat destructionLarge flightless birds, once endemic to New Zealand.

Analysis of causes of extinction

  1. Human activities: Hunting, habitat destruction, environmental pollution and other human activities are the main reasons for the extinction of many animals. As the scope of human activities expands, the habitats of many animals are invaded by agriculture and urban development, causing them to lose their living space.

  2. Climate change: Climate change has a profound impact on the survival of animals, especially during the Ice Age and global warming, many species became extinct because they could not adapt to climate change.

  3. Invasive species: Invasive species pose a threat to native species through competition and predation, leading to the extinction of many native species. The extinction of the dodo bird in Mauritius due to the introduction of foreign predators is a typical case.

  4. Disease: The spread of disease between animals is also an important factor leading to species extinction, especially when the habitat becomes smaller or the food chain is destroyed, the spread of disease will be faster.

The need to protect existing endangered species

These extinct animals remind us of the importance of protecting endangered species. There are still many endangered species in the world. We need to protect their habitats, limit hunting, and reduce the impact of climate change to prevent them from repeating the same mistakes. The disappearance of each species will have a profound impact on the ecosystem. Therefore, it is our unshirkable responsibility to protect the biodiversity of the earth.


Although these animals have disappeared from the earth, their stories have sounded the alarm for us. By understanding these extinct animals, we can more clearly realize the importance of environmental protection, so as to do our part to protect existing species and maintain ecological balance.

What are the endangered animals?

The following is a list of some endangered animals, showing their basic information in a table, including species name, habitat, endangered level and main threatening factors.

Endangered Animals Table

Animal NameHabitatEndangered LevelMain Threat Factors
Giant PandaBamboo Forest Areas of ChinaVulnerable (VU)Habitat Loss, Decrease in Bamboo Forests
Snow LeopardMountainous Areas of Central AsiaVulnerable (VU)Habitat destruction, poaching
Western lowland gorillaCentral African rainforestCritically Endangered (CR)Diseases (e.g. Ebola), poaching
Sumatran tigerSumatra, IndonesiaCritically Endangered (CR)Habitat loss, illegal hunting
Marine turtles (e.g. Hawksbill turtles)Tropical and subtropical seasCritically Endangered (CR)Marine pollution, poaching, entanglement in fishing nets
Amazon River DolphinAmazon River Basin in South AmericaEndangered (EN)Habitat destruction, pollution, fishing activities
Philippine EaglePhilippine RainforestCritically Endangered (CR)Habitat loss, illegal hunting
Blue WhaleGlobal OceansEndangered (EN)Ship strikes, entanglement in fishing nets, marine pollution
Black rhinoSouthern and Eastern AfricaCritically Endangered (CR)Poaching (primarily for its horn), habitat loss
South China tigerSouthern ChinaCritically Endangered (CR)Habitat loss, poaching
Przewalski's horseChinese and Mongolian grasslandsEndangered (EN)Habitat destruction, competition with livestock
Endangered parrots (e.g., hyacinth parrot)Brazilian Amazon rainforestCritically Endangered (CR)Illegal capture, habitat loss
Western slow lorisSoutheast Asian rainforestsEndangered (EN)Illegal pet trade, habitat loss
Red wolfSoutheastern United StatesCritically endangered (CR)Habitat loss, hybridization with gray wolf
Giant otterSouth American rivers and wetlandsEndangered (EN)Habitat loss, illegal hunting
Galapagos giant tortoiseGalapagos IslandsEndangered (EN)Habitat destruction, competition from invasive species
Scarlet NautilusIndo-PacificVulnerable (VU)Fishing pressure, climate change
Blue-crowned ParrotAustraliaEndangered (EN)Habitat destruction, illegal trade
Spotted Owl MonkeyCentral and South American tropical rainforestsCritically Endangered (CR)Habitat loss, hunting
Short-tailed AlbatrossSouthern Ocean and North PacificCritically Endangered (CR)Climate change, fishing nets

Main threats

  1. Habitat loss: Deforestation, urban expansion, agricultural development, etc. have caused many animals to lose their homes, especially those in tropical rainforests.

  2. Poaching and Illegal Trade: The main reason for poaching is to meet human needs for animal fur, horns, teeth, scales and other organs. Illegal hunting has caused many animals to decrease sharply in number, or even to become endangered.

  3. Climate Change: Climate warming threatens the survival of polar, marine and alpine animals, causing their habitats to gradually disappear or become uninhabitable.

  4. Environmental Pollution: Chemical pollution, plastic pollution and marine pollution are major threats to endangered animals, especially marine life facing the threat of plastic waste and fishing gear.


As human activities have intensified the impact on the earth's environment, more and more animals are on the verge of extinction. Protecting these endangered animals is not only about protecting biodiversity, but also about protecting the ecological balance of the earth. By reducing habitat destruction, banning illegal hunting, and controlling climate change, we can buy more time for these endangered animals to survive.

animal tags: Giant-Panda Snow-Leopard Sumatran-tiger Scarlet-Nautilus Blue-crowned-Parrot