These animals bite the dust and it's our ancestors' fault. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the species that were eradicated by human activity.
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00:00The great orc had become a mythical creature, but the opportunity to experience it for real
00:07had been lost forever. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the
00:13species that were eradicated by human activity. Once a species is gone, no amount of wishful
00:19thinking can bring it back. Number 20. Fuegian dog. People have domesticated several animals,
00:26dogs included. While most today descended from wolves, there are others that were believed to
00:31have come from other species. The Fuegian dog, once believed to have been bred from foxes,
00:37lived alongside indigenous populations. While they did live with humans, they didn't display
00:42typical characteristics normally found in pets, such as strict loyalty to their owners.
00:47Unfortunately, they didn't get the chance to evolve more loving behavioral traits.
00:52They were targeted by European settlers during the genocide of the Selknam people,
00:57due to their victims utilizing them for hunting and warmth. By 1919, they had been wiped out,
01:03bringing an end to a breed that could have survived into the modern era.
01:07Number 19. Two-legged wallaby. Marsupials are common in Australia, from kangaroos to koalas.
01:13At one point, there was one more, known as the two-legged wallaby. They were nocturnal
01:18creatures known for their soft fur, which ultimately became their most desirable trait.
01:24The arrival of European colonizers down under was the beginning of the end for this adorable
01:28creature. The clearing of swamps led to their primary food source being wiped out. Settlers
01:33then brought over red foxes, giving them a new predator to evade. The final component was humans
01:39hunting them for fur and for fun. Even attempts at conserving them led to 10 of the final 14
01:46being killed accidentally. The various factors resulted in them being eradicated by the end of
01:51the 1930s. Number 18. Carolina parakeet. It may be hard to believe, but at one point there were
01:58native parrots in the U.S. One of three species, the Carolina parakeet, used to exist in large
02:04numbers. But mass deforestation in the name of expanding the United States led to their habitats
02:10being destroyed. They were also targeted by the fashion industry for their brightly-colored
02:15feathers. The darkest aspect is that people learned about the parakeet's tendency to flock
02:20around deceased birds and used it to their advantage. They used fallen parakeets as a
02:25way to attract larger groups before slaughtering them. The final blow was a mysterious poultry
02:31disease, bringing about their end just before humans could finish the job. Number 17. Guadalupe
02:38caracara. While nature can be incredibly violent, particularly the hunting process, it's still a
02:44normal part of the natural world. Humans entering the equation can alter that. The Guadalupe caracara
02:50soon earned a reputation for its extreme tactics. They were described by many as evil, mostly for
02:56the ways they hunted newborn goats for food. As farming became more prevalent, the birds found
03:01themselves on the other end of a targeted campaign. Their effect on livestock was heavily exaggerated,
03:08but fear of what they could do was enough for them to be systematically killed. During this period,
03:13goats took over, destroying habitats and causing more species to die out, with the issue becoming
03:19even worse once the caracara was declared extinct in the early 20th century. Number 16. Zanzibar
03:26leopard. The reasons for a species' extinction can be hard to defend or even understand, especially
03:31when they're based in mythology. The Zanzibar leopard was once a thriving species in Tanzania
03:36and served as one island's main apex predator. Its eventual association with witchcraft led to
03:42locals believing the felines were being sent to hurt them. Amazingly unique feline was wiped out
03:49due to witchcraft. The Zanzibar revolution of 1964 exacerbated the sentiment, leading to the
03:55widespread killings of the large cats. By the 1990s, they were believed to be gone. Sadly,
04:01local records showed the last known leopard was killed in the mid-90s. While some hopeful
04:06scientists have claimed to spot them since then, including one in 2018, their findings haven't been
04:12confirmed. Their continued existence would be an incredible discovery, but as of right now,
04:17the science unfortunately points to them being extinct. I can't even speak words. Number 15.
04:26Moa. The demise of one species isn't always an isolated event. It can have a lasting ripple
04:32effect on the environment around them. The eradication of the moa in New Zealand is the
04:36best example. Some of the biggest and most extraordinary birds to have ever walked the
04:40earth. It had been isolated for millions of years, leaving the giant birds with only one
04:46natural predator, the host's eagle. When Polynesians eventually arrived on the island around 1300,
04:52they saw the moa as a perfect food source. For the newcomers, the moa was literally a lifesaver.
04:58Because the birds hadn't encountered humans before, they made for easy targets. By 1445,
05:05they had all been hunted, and since they were the host's eagle's main prey, those died out soon
05:11after as well. Both avians serve as proof that forced extinction can permanently impact entire
05:22ecosystems. Number 14. Baiji. While there's some hope that this aquatic creature is still out
05:27there, things unfortunately aren't looking good. Baiji, also known as the Chinese river dolphin,
05:33are considered to be the first dolphin to be eradicated through human interference.
05:38The Baiji was one of the world's few true river dolphin species.
05:41They used to be enmeshed with the culture, even being seen as a symbol of peace. In the 1950s,
05:47the population was in the thousands, but widespread hunting and industrialization
05:51caused many to die out. Other factors, like electric fishing, caused their numbers to plummet.
05:57By the end of the 20th century, there were possibly only 13 wild dolphins left in the Yangtze.
06:02While some conservation efforts were made, a 2006 survey revealed that there were no
06:07wild Baiji to be found. There have been supposed sightings as recently as 2024,
06:12but with no confirmation, they're still considered functionally extinct.
06:16Many who live along the Yangtze River and revered the Baiji dolphin
06:20say a part of China's soul has gone forever. Number 13. Sea mink. The fur trade is a truly
06:27insidious business that has resulted in the destruction of several different populations.
06:32The sea mink was one of its earliest victims, being targeted because of their large size.
06:37Not much is known about the creature due to how quickly they were annihilated.
06:41Many humans were incessant in their desire to obtain the mink's pelts. Even if one managed
06:46to escape into a small hole, hunters would simply dig it out, shoot it, or use smoke to suffocate
06:52It's even theorized that they became nocturnal by force after being tracked so often in the daylight.
06:58They were killed off so quickly that they weren't even classified as an official species until 1903
07:04after they had already vanished. Number 12. Aurochs. Before their extinction,
07:09these ancient herbivores were among the largest in the world. Aurochs, considered to be the main
07:14ancestor to modern cattle, have been documented since the Paleolithic era. That still couldn't
07:20save them from their eventual demise. The paws were nearly two meters tall.
07:24Indian aurochs were first, dying out during the Indus River Civilization due to habitat loss
07:30and forced interbreeding, while African ones lasted until the Roman Empire. The final of the
07:35three, the Eurasian aurochs, met its end after a period of deforestation from the 9th to 12th
07:40centuries, with the last herd making their final home in Poland. From there, the writing was on
07:46the wall. In 1627, the final cow died, officially bringing an end to the long-lasting species.
07:53Number 11. Passenger pigeon. This was one of the most heavily encouraged cases of animal
07:58persecution in recent history. Passenger pigeons were once extremely common throughout the United
08:04States, with a population of three to five billion. They coexisted alongside indigenous
08:09Americans for thousands of years, but the arrival of European settlers changed everything. They
08:14believed that the birds were bad luck and would bring misfortune, and started killing them for
08:19food and feathers. They were easy targets because they occurred in these large flocks. Their numbers
08:24dwindled quickly, especially during a five-month period in which 50,000 were killed a day. The
08:30realization that they were close to disappearing led to several bills being introduced to protect
08:34them, but it was too late. By the 20th century, they had been eradicated, leaving the once-bustling
08:40skies eerily empty. But the loss of the passenger pigeon made people take notice. It prompted the
08:47very first legal protections. Number 10. Quagga. This animal is not a zebra, it's a quagga. The quagga was a
08:55uniquely patterned subspecies of zebra. With the front half looking like a zebra and the back half
09:00looking like a horse, the quagga was a prized attraction for natives on the African plains,
09:05who hunted the quagga for its skin and sometimes for meat. When Dutch settlers colonized the area,
09:10the quagga was considered more a pest than a prize, and it was hunted to reduce grazing competition
09:15with their own livestock. The quagga, once roaming in herds of hundreds, was decimated by the 1850s,
09:22and by 1878 the last wild quagga died. The last captive specimen died in the Natura Artis Mahistra
09:29Zoo in Amsterdam in 1883. I don't care if you found one quagga, two quagga, I care that you found any.
09:37They're extinct. Number 9. Javan tiger. Three tiger subspecies became extinct within the last
09:4380 years, and the Javan tiger is among them. Formerly found in Java, the most populated island
09:49in Indonesia, the tiger was widespread on the island at the turn of the 20th century
09:54until a human population explosion resulted in loss of habitat that caused a massive decline.
10:00In the 1930s, almost a quarter of Java was forest, but by the mid-70s, forests accounted for less
10:07than 10% of the island. Mass killings by hunters and soldiers further whittled the population down,
10:12and by 1980, only a handful of tigers remained. The last known Javan tiger was killed in 1984.
10:21You will succeed because you are as wily as the Javan tiger from where you get your name.
10:27Number 8. Falkland Islands wolf. Without any predators to instill cautiousness, the small
10:33fox-like wolves were sitting ducks for the first human settlers on the island. The only land mammal
10:39native to the Falkland Islands, the wolves had no natural fear of humans and nowhere to hide if they
10:45did. With little resistance, the wolves were hunted indiscriminately for everything from fur,
10:50livestock safety, and just plain fun. By the time Charles Darwin arrived on the island in 1833,
10:57he noted the rarity of the wolves and predicted their demise within a few years.
11:01Sure enough, in 1876, the Falkland Islands wolf was extinct.
11:06Number 7. Steller's sea cow. As the largest kind of Sirenia in history,
11:11the Steller's sea cow was a conspicuous staple of North Pacific marine life.
11:15Discovered by zoologist Georg Wilhelm Steller in 1741, the sea cow was not known for its speed,
11:22so as a result, its slowness meant it was easily hunted by European sailors for its meat,
11:28skin, fat, and oil. Steller's sea cows carried so much fat they couldn't dive.
11:33The sea cow had already been hunted centuries prior by indigenous peoples,
11:37meaning that only a single small population remained around the Commander Islands.
11:42By 1768, the population was entirely destroyed, and no verified sightings of the sea cow appeared
11:48after. Thus, within 27 years of Europeans first laying eyes on it, the Steller's sea cow was
11:55officially extinct. They were hunted to extinction just 27 years later.
11:59Number 6. Atlas bear. Used in gladiator events in Roman times, the Atlas bear was a large,
12:06formidable carnivore, and the only bear endemic to modern Africa. The Roman Empire was largely
12:11responsible for the bear's decline, as thousands were captured and ritualistically killed in baiting
12:17and fighting competitions. Following the fall of the empire and the advent of firearms,
12:22the bears were overhunted and driven to small, fragmented populations in the Atlas Mountains.
12:27They became a rare and sought-after item for collectors, with many being captured for zoos
12:33and fairs, which further atrophied the population. The bears fell to human greed,
12:38and the last individual was killed in 1870.
12:42Number 5. Great Auk. The Great Auk was a medium-sized, flightless bird resembling a penguin.
12:49For millions of years, the North Atlantic was home to one of the most remarkable seabirds ever,
12:54the Great Auk. It occupied the entire expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean,
12:58living in the coastal waters from the northeastern U.S. to northern Spain.
13:02Being a plump, sedentary animal, which bred on commonly navigated islands,
13:07the Great Auk was a practical and plentiful food source for Native American cultures and
13:12North Atlantic travelers. Hunted for food, the Great Auk suddenly turned from predator to prey.
13:18However, the consumption of the auks as well as the hunting of the bird for its downed feathers
13:23outnumbered its reproduction rates, and soon there was an existential emergency.
13:27Naturalists tried but failed to save the species, and the last confirmed specimens were shot in 1844.
13:34It was declared extinct in 1852.
13:37Victorian scientists unwittingly pushed the Great Auk to its final extinction.
13:42Number 4. Thylacine. Also known as the Tasmanian Tiger or Tasmanian Wolf,
13:48the thylacine is a now-mythic creature that was once very much real.
13:52The most amazing thing about this wolf-like predator is that it wasn't a tiger at all.
13:57As a large, carnivorous marsupial, the thylacine was Australia's top predator for thousands of
14:03years before becoming extinct on the mainland, possibly due to competition with humans and
14:08dingoes. The tiger thrived on Tasmania, however, until Europeans settled the island and declared
14:14the rather harmless marsupial a pest. What Batty couldn't know was his gunshot
14:19didn't merely end the life of a single animal. It marked the death knell for an entire species.
14:25Bounty programs were set in place that destroyed thousands of thylacines, and by 1930,
14:31they were extinct in the wild, though there have been thousands of unconfirmed reports in the years
14:36since, including several convincing videos. The last known thylacine died in the Hobart Zoo in 1936.
14:43There was no attempt at all to do something as obvious and as sensible as breeding them
14:48in captivity. Number 3. Caribbean Monk Seal.
14:51Named for the folds on its head that resembled a monk's hood,
14:54the Caribbean Monk Seal was extremely common in the West Indies during the 17th century.
14:59Christopher Columbus discovered it on his voyage to America in 1492,
15:03and called it the Sea Wolf, the first step in its downfall.
15:08The seal's blubber offered a sizable oil yield for use in lamps and machinery,
15:13so explorers and settlers killed the docile pinnipeds by the hundreds.
15:17They were all more than two meters long, and known to be placid, sluggish, and easy to kill.
15:23Commercial fishing further ravaged the population by destroying their food supply,
15:27and by the early 1900s sightings were rare. The last confirmed killing of a Caribbean
15:33Monk Seal was in 1939, and the last verified sighting was in 1952.
15:38The Caribbean Monk Seal did manage to survive into the 20th century,
15:42but other pressures of modern civilization caused it to die out.
15:45Number 2. Western Black Rhinoceros.
15:48Traditional Chinese medicine has not been kind to rhinos of any kind,
15:52and the Western Black Rhinoceros is the latest casualty.
15:55The Western Black Rhino is now extinct in the wild.
15:59Hunted for the supposed medicinal value of its horn,
16:02the Western subspecies of Black Rhino was poached to oblivion during the 20th century.
16:08Though preservation actions were taken in the 1930s,
16:11the rhino population went into a steep decline shortly thereafter,
16:15dropping to only a few hundred in the 1980s, to only 10 individuals in 2000, to only five the next year.
16:22I think we knew they were on their way out, but it's a depressing day.
16:25The last reported sighting occurred in 2006, and in 2011 the rhino was declared extinct,
16:31making it the first rhino species to go extinct in modern times,
16:34though it is likely that the Sumatran and Javan rhinos are soon to follow.
16:38If we can't save the rhino, how on earth are we going to save species that are of much less
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17:01Number 1. Dodo
17:02There's no early modern extinct animal more recognizable than the dodo, a fat,
17:08large-beaked, flightless bird that inhabited the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
17:13The dodo lived in blissful harmony until Dutch settlers arrived on the island and
17:18fleeced the dodo of its existence. The Dutch encountered an extraordinary creature.
17:23Having no natural predators on an island where they reigned supreme, the dodo was unequipped
17:28to deal with the humans and animals introduced by them, like pigs and macaques that infested
17:34the island. Not only would the pig have competed for food, it may have disrupted age-old mating
17:39and egg-laying behavior. From their discovery, it took only 64 years for the dodos to be
17:45completely wiped out, with the birds considered officially extinct by 1662.
17:51But they still live on in media as nature's punching bags.
17:55Story of the dodo's annihilation reveals how quickly extinction can overtake a species.
18:02Which extinct species would you love to see brought back to life? Let us know in the comments below.
18:07The mightiest stood nearly nine feet tall and weighed almost a quarter of a ton.
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