Man will probably go down in history with the most unenviable reputation as the most destructive creature. This article presents the list of top 10 most recent extinct animals as a direct result to over-population and over-hunting.
1. Baiji River Dolphin
The significant drop in the population of Baiji river dolphins in the past decades was the result of the unmitigated flow of residential and industrial wastes to the Yangtze River. The industrialization in fishing and transportation and hydroelectric power generation has led to the eventual extinction of the baiji river dolphins.
2. Tecopa Pupfish
This fish subspecies is endemic to the hot springs of North Tecopa and South Tecopa in the Mojave Desert of California, USA. The Tecopa pupfish decline started when canals and bathhouses were built in the early part of 1940s.
3. Javan Tigers
The Javan tigers are the subspecies of tigers that are found in Java, Indonesia. These Javan tigers were still common during the 19th century and at some point were even considered as pests in Indonesia. However, with the encroachment to their natural habitat by human, their population dwindled significantly until they were finally declared extinct.
4. Bubal Hartebeest
These creatures once roamed the regions of the Middle East and Northern Africa in large populations. Hunting of Bubal hartebeest for food and recreation reached destructive proportions and this has led to a greater segment of its population being totally wiped out.
5. Pyrenean Ibex
This is one particular creature that was successfully brought back to existence through cloning. Unfortunately, the cloned creature was only able to live for 7 minutes before succumbing to lung failure and eventually became extinct again.
6. Caribbean Monk Seal
It is the only known subspecies of seal that is found in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribbean Sea. This once abundant Caribbean monk seals were heavily hunted for their oil and are slaughtered by most fishermen as they were considered as pests or competitors.
7. Golden Toad
The first ever documented Golden Toad was the one that was reported by Jay Savage, renowned herpetologist, in 1966. It is a native of the tropical forests of Costa Rica. The last sighting of this toad subspecies was way back in 1989.
8. Passenger Pigeon
This has got to be the most tragic incident of extinction in our A-List if there is ever one. This type of pigeon was not even near extinction as recently as 2 centuries ago. Rampant hunting of this type of pigeon systematically reduced its population until it finally became extinct.
9. Quagga
The Quagga is a Plains zebra subspecies. Its main distinction from the other types of zebra is the presence of stripes only on the neck, head and the front part of the zebra’s body. This creature was hunted down ruthlessly until it became irreversibly extinct.
10. Thylacine
The thylacine is also known as Tasmanian tiger. The main reason for its extinction is the unmitigated hunting and the encroachment by the human population to their natural habitat.
Leave a Reply