He was the largest marsupial carnivore of our time (he was about 60 cm in height and about 180 cm in length including his tail). Thylacines once lived on mainland Australia and New Guinea, but as a result of human activity they were almost extinct there by the time of colonization by Europeans. However, they remained in Tasmania, where they were called Tasmanian tigers or Tasmanian wolves. The last thylacine in the wild was killed in 1930. And in captivity, the last Thylacine, which is shown in the photo, died in 1936.

Unknown photographer, 1933

However, as early as the 1960s, people hoped that Thylacines might still be around, and they weren't officially considered extinct until the 1980s. And so far, however, there have been isolated reports of surface sightings in Tasmania and New Guinea.

Quagga

Unknown photographer, 1870

The quagga in the photo is the only animal of this subspecies that has ever been photographed. This female specimen was photographed at London Zoo. The quagga is a subspecies of the plains zebra that lived in large numbers in the wild in South Africa. However, the Quagga was exterminated for meat, hides and to preserve pet food. The last wild Quagga was shot in the 1870s, and the last individual in captivity died in August 1883. Interestingly, Quagga was the first extinct animal whose DNA was studied in detail. Before this, it was believed that this animal was a completely separate species, and not a subspecies of zebras.

Mexican grizzly

wikimedia commons/ author: Mills, Enos Abijah, 1870-1922 date: 1919

Grizzlies can live not only in the climate of North America or Canada. Previously, the grizzly bear also lived in Mexico. This animal belonged to the brown bear subspecies. The Mexican grizzly bear was a very large bear with small ears and a high forehead. It was finally exterminated by ranchers in the 1960s because it posed a danger to their livestock. By 1960, only 30 individuals remained, but by 1964 the Mexican grizzly bear was considered extinct.

Tarpan

Author: Scherer, Moscow Zoo, May 29, 1884

Tarpan, or the Eurasian Wild Horse, lived in the steppes of several European countries, in the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia and in the territory of Western Kazakhstan. The height at the withers of Tarpan reached 136 cm with a body length of about 150 cm. Tarpans had an erect mane and thick wavy hair, which in summer was black-brown, yellow-brown or dirty yellow, and in winter it became lighter with a dark stripe along the back. They had dark legs, a mane and tail, and strong hooves that did not require horseshoes.

The last forest Tarpan was killed on the territory of the modern Kaliningrad region in 1814. In 1879, the last steppe tarpan in the wild was killed in the steppe in the Kherson region of Ukraine. The last Tarpan to live in captivity died in 1918. The photo was taken at the Moscow Zoo in 1884 and is claimed to be the only photo of a living Tarpan. However, there is some debate about the photo: whether it really shows a purebred Tarpan or whether it is a cross between a Tarpan and a domestic horse.

Barbary lion

Author: Sir Alfred Edward Pease, 1893

Previously, the Barbary lion (also known as the Atlas or Nubian lion) lived in the territory from Morocco to Egypt. This lion was the largest and heaviest among the lion subspecies. He was distinguished by a particularly thick dark mane, which went far beyond his shoulders and hung over his stomach. The last wild Barbary lion was shot in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco in 1922. Nevertheless, descendants of Barbary lions live in captivity, however, most likely they are not purebred and have admixtures of other subspecies. Historical background: The lions used in gladiator battles during the Roman Empire were most likely Barbary. The photo was taken in 1893 in Algeria.

Bali tiger

Author: Oscar Voynich, 1913

Unfortunately, the photo is not clear; it was taken in 1913. The Bali tiger is one of the smallest tigers that ever lived. Bali tigers had short, bright orange fur and were the size of leopards or mountain lions.

The last confirmed kill of this tiger was in September 1937. But until the 1940s or 1950s, it was suspected that a small number of individuals still remained on the island. Bali tigers became extinct due to habitat loss and the fashionable hunting hobby of Europeans.

Caspian tiger

Unknown photographer, 1895

The Caspian tiger inhabited vast areas along river corridors in sparse forests west and south of the Caspian Sea. Its habitat ranged from Turkey and Iran through Central Asia to the Taklimakan Desert, Xinjiang, China. The Caspian tiger, like the Siberian and Bengal subspecies of the tiger, was the largest representative of the cat that ever existed. The population of this subspecies began to decline sharply in the 1920s, which was associated with hunting, habitat loss, and a decrease in the amount of food. The last such tiger was killed in February 1970 in the Turkish province of Hakkari. — See more at: Decoding the DNA of the Caspian tiger showed that it is very close to the Amur tiger and this makes it possible to restore its population.

Black Cameroonian rhinoceros

flickr/Martijn.Munneke, 2011/CC BY 2.0

The Cameroonian black rhinoceros, which is a subspecies of the black rhinoceros, was until recently very common in the savanna of sub-Saharan Africa. However, despite all the efforts made to protect these animals, poaching has led to their complete extinction. Their horns, as many believed, had medicinal value, which was partly responsible for their extermination. However, this assumption has no scientific basis.

The Cameroonian black rhinoceros was last seen in 2006, after which it was not seen again, due to which it was officially declared extinct in 2011.

golden toad

Wikimedia Commons/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, no later than May 15, 1989/public domain

The golden toad has become a very illustrative example of how human activity leads to the destruction of living beings. This small bright orange toad was first described only in 1966, when it lived in large numbers in an area of ​​30 square miles near the city of Monteverde, Costa Rica. For a long time, its habitat maintained the ideal temperature and humidity for its existence, but human activity changed the usual environmental parameters, which led to the disappearance of this animal. No individuals have been sighted since May 15, 1989.

Pinta Island tortoise (Abingdon elephant tortoise)

flickr/ putneymark, August 16, 2007/CC BY-SA 2.0

Pinta Island (or Abingdon) tortoises are a subspecies of the Elephant tortoise. This is the largest animal that has become extinct in recent times. Lonesome George, who was over 100 years old (pictured), was the last of the species and died on June 24, 2012 from heart failure.

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Number of domestic animals and people vs wild animals. Diagram
Endangered species of animals and plants. Statistics and trends

December 1, 2010, 14:40

Here and there there are dissatisfied cries about the topic of endangered tigers: you see, DiCaprio donated a million dollars to them; it would be better if he gave it to hungry people. Many people, of course, are poor, but if we kill all the animals, we ourselves will immediately become extinct. This post is about those whom people have already exterminated with their own hands or through their fault this happened. Over the past 500 years, 844 species of animals and plants have become extinct. The Black List is a list of species that have become extinct since 1600. The existence of these species was recorded in cultural monuments. There is information about observations of these animals by naturalists or travelers. That is, these species are clearly recorded in a living state. But today we can say that they no longer exist. These species are included in the “black list”. The “Black List” is published in the Red Book (a list of endangered species) on its first pages. All species have some status of vulnerability. The “black list” is the so-called “zero status”. Tour. It is considered extinct as a result of human activity and intensive hunting. The last population died in 1627 in the forests near Jaktorov in 1627. Paleopropithecus The species of lemurs, belonging to an extinct genus that lived in Madagascar, were very plump and weighed up to 55 kilograms. The last mentions date back to 1658. Dodo. Perhaps the most famous exterminated species. This flightless bird lived on the island of Mauritius. European colonists exterminated it for its tasty meat, and pigs, cats and monkeys brought by sailors ravaged the dodo nests located on the ground. Rodriguez parrot.
The motley bird lived on the Mascarene Islands. The suspected cause of disappearance is hunting. Blue Broad-billed Parrot. Lived in Mauritius. It disappeared during the period of cologization of the island by Europeans, who brought dogs, rats, and pigs, which hunted birds and destroyed nests. Carolina parrot The only representative of the parrots on the North American continent. Extinct due to merciless extermination by hunters. Such intense persecution was explained by the damage these parrots caused to fields and fruit trees. The last parrot died at the zoo in 1918. Sea cow
Or Steller's cow. Habitat: Commander Islands. In many ways it resembled a manatee and a dugong, but was much larger than them. Large herds of these animals swam near the surface of the water, feeding on seaweed (kelp), which is why the animal was called a sea cow. Its meat, which was very tasty and did not smell of fish, was actively consumed as food, so that the Steller's cow was completely exterminated in just 30 years, despite the impressive size of the population. Moa Lived in New Zealand. They didn't have wings. There are 15 known species, all extinct: the largest of them reached a height of about 3.6 m and weighed about 250 kg. It is believed that the moa became extinct around 1500, destroyed by the Maori aborigines. According to unconfirmed evidence, individual representatives of the species Megalapteryx didinus were still encountered at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century. Falkland fox It was the only native land mammal of the Falkland Islands. The thick fluffy fur of this fox was in great demand. Since the 1860s, when Scottish colonists arrived on the islands, foxes began to be shot en masse and poisoned as a threat to sheep herds. The lack of forests on the islands and the gullibility of this predator, which had no natural enemies, quickly led to its destruction. The last Falkland fox was killed in 1876 in West Falkland. Marsupial wolf
Lived in Tasmania and New Zealand. As a result of uncontrolled shooting and trapping, by 1863, marsupial wolves survived only in remote mountain and forest areas of Tasmania. A catastrophic decline in its numbers occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, when an epizootic of some disease, probably canine distemper, brought in by imported dogs, broke out in Tasmania. Marsupial wolves were susceptible to it, and by 1914 there were only a few of them left. The last wild marsupial wolf was killed on May 13, 1930, and in 1936 the last captive marsupial wolf died of old age at a private zoo in Hobart. Crested thick-billed pigeon Extinct at the beginning of the 20th century. The bird lived only on the island of Choiseul, one of the Solomon Islands. The main reason for the extinction of the species was the introduction of a domestic cat to the island, which exterminated them. Passenger pigeon
The most striking and graphic example of methodical extermination is the story of the passenger pigeon. Once upon a time, multi-million-strong flocks of these birds flew in the skies of North America. Seeing food, the pigeons rushed down like huge locusts, and when they were full, they flew away, completely destroying fruits, berries, nuts, and insects. Naturally, such gluttony irritated the colonists. Moreover, the pigeons tasted very good. Therefore, the extermination of pigeons turned into fun. They killed as many pigeons as they could kill. The pigeons were placed in ice cellars, cooked immediately, fed to dogs, or simply thrown away. There were even pigeon shooting competitions, and towards the end of the 19th century, machine guns began to be used. The last passenger pigeon, named Martha, died at the zoo in 1914. Quagga Lived in southern Africa. Quagga is perhaps the only extinct animal whose representatives were domesticated by humans and used to protect herds. Quaggas noticed the approach of predators much earlier than domestic sheep, cows, and chickens, and warned their owners with a loud cry of “quaha,” from which they got their name. The last quagga was killed in 1878. Great auk A harmless flightless bird that nested on the northern islands of the Atlantic Ocean. They were killed for meat and the famous down, later, when auks became rare, for sale to collectors. The last great auks were killed on a small island near Iceland in 1844. Source

In the 4.5 billion years that Earth has existed, mass extinctions of certain species have occurred at least five times. The causes of dramatic changes in the appearance of flora and fauna were, as a rule, global natural disasters.

Scientists believe that a climate similar to the modern one was established approximately 10–35 thousand years ago. And yet, many species of animals, birds, fish and plants continue to gradually disappear. The main culprit in their death is a person who conducts aggressive economic activities and thoughtlessly consumes natural resources. Endangered species of animals are everywhere, in all corners and countries of the world, including in Russia.

Animals that no longer exist

Now you can see extinct animals only on the pages of encyclopedias, but many of them lived in Russia some 50–100 years ago. A striking example of this is the Turanian tiger, destroyed in the middle of the last century. The extinct predator weighed 240 kg, had long-haired thick fur and a bright red color, and was the closest relative of the Amur tiger. Before his disappearance, he lived in the south of Turkey and Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Iran. In Russia, the extinct Turanian tigers lived in the North Caucasus.

One of the representatives of a recently extinct species - Eurasian wild horse, better known as tarpan. It is believed that this individual died at the hands of man in 1879. The habitat of the animals was the steppes of Western Siberia and the European part of the country. Externally, tarpans looked like short (height at the withers - up to 135 cm), stocky horses. Representatives of this species were distinguished by their endurance, had a thick wavy mane and a color from dirty yellow to black-brown.

A little earlier, at the end of the 18th century, people exterminated sea ​​(Steller's) cow- a slow-moving aquatic mammal with a weight reaching 10 tons and a length of more than 9 meters. The animal ate seaweed and led a sedentary lifestyle. By the time of the discovery by Vitus Bering's expedition (1741), representatives of this species were found only near the Commander Islands. Their population, according to scientists, numbered no more than 2,000 individuals.

Giant sloth Megatherium (picture; extinct BC), Fossa (endangered species), Iberian ibex (extinct 2000), Galapagos tortoise Lonesome George (extinct 2012)

The ancestor of the domestic bull, the aurochs, finally disappeared in the first third of the 17th century, although 2.5 millennia before that it was found everywhere in North Africa, Western Asia and Europe. In Russia, extinct animals lived in both steppes and forests. At the withers they reached 2 meters and weighed up to 1.2 tons. The characteristic features of the aurochs were: a large head, long developed horns, strong and high limbs, red, black-brown and black color. The animals were distinguished by their evil disposition, speed and remarkable strength.

Long-extinct animals include cave bear, in the Paleolithic era lived in the wooded part of Eurasia. He had strong paws and a large head, and thick fur. The weight of a cave bear could reach 900 kg. Despite its large size (1.5 times larger than a grizzly bear), the animal was distinguished by its peaceful character: it ate exclusively honey and plants. Scientists suggest that this type of bear disappeared 15 thousand years ago as a result of climate change and hunting by Neanderthals.

When faced with the problem of the disappearance of animals and plants, you understand how fragile and defenseless the world around us is. The Red Book of the Russian Federation, published in 2001, included 415 fauna representatives. Of these, 65 species belong to the class of mammals. Humanity may say goodbye to some rare animals in the near future if it does not make enough efforts to protect them.

Below is list of rapidly disappearing animals, which are still found in Russia:

• Tarbagan is a large short-tailed marmot that lives in Transbaikalia. Body length is 50–65 cm, color is yellow-sand with black or dark brown ripples. Number (in the Russian Federation) – 38 thousand.
• Common longwing– a bat with high flight speed (70 km/h). Lives in caves in Krasnodar and Primorsky regions. Number – 5–7 thousand.
• Ussurian tiger- a large (weighs 200–220 kg) wild cat that has adapted to live in the difficult conditions of the North. It has a red color, turning into white on the chest, belly and the inside of the paws. Number – 400–500 individuals.
• Irbis or snow leopard is the owner of a whitish-gray spotted “coat” with thick, long-haired fur. Representative of the cat family. Lives in high mountain areas. Number – 80–150 individuals.

Tarbagan, common longwing, Ussuri tiger, snow leopard

Perhaps one of the rarest animals living only in Russia is Mednovsky blue fox(or arctic fox). The animal lives on Medny Island in the Komandorsky archipelago. Its length is up to 75 cm, weight is up to 3.5 kg. In summer the color of the animal is gray-red, in winter it is white with a blue tint. Number - no more than 100 individuals.

Endangered birds

At the moment, 123 species of birds living in the Russian Federation are considered rare. Birds often become victims of predators, die from hunger and cold, and cannot withstand long flights across oceans and seas. In addition to natural causes, anthropogenic factors lead to a decline in the number of species and loss of biological diversity of birds. Birds are dying en masse due to pollution of water bodies with oil products, habitat disturbance caused by the draining of swamps, plowing of steppes, and deforestation.

Birds that require special care include:

• white-backed albatross;
• mountain goose;
• Far Eastern stork;
• yellow-billed heron;
• red-footed ibis;
• red kite;
• Manchurian bearded partridge;
• marbled teal;
• long-tailed eagle;
• pink pelican;
• white-headed duck;
• steppe kestrel;
• dry nose;
• Ussuri crane;
• crested shelduck.

Are on the verge of extinction populations of Siberian Cranes or white cranes. These are large birds (weigh up to 8.6 kg) with a wingspan of 2.2–2.3 m. Siberian cranes live in the north of the Russian Federation. The Yakut bird population numbers 3 thousand individuals. A critical situation with white cranes has developed in Western Siberia. Since there are about 20 birds left there, the Flight of Hope program is being implemented to restore the population.

Bar-headed goose, yellow-billed heron, red-footed ibis, pink pelican

In Russia, wigglers, representatives of the bustard family, have practically disappeared. In other words, these birds are also called jacks and houbara bustards. The body length of the birds is 55–75 cm, weight – 1.2–3.2 kg. Previously, the birds were found in the foothills of Altai, but now they can only be seen near the border with Mongolia, in the extreme south of Tyva.

It’s not often in the Russian expanses that you can see relict seagull: it nests in the Chita region, on the island of Barun-Torey. The size of the local population varies greatly at different periods of time (from 100 to 1200 pairs of birds), depending on changes in the water level in the reservoir and weather conditions.

Inhabitants of the deep waters: fish, crustaceans and molluscs

The decline in the number of some fish species is a consequence of river pollution, wastewater regulation, and poaching. It is noteworthy that the death of aquatic inhabitants, like birds, is increasingly widespread. In winter, fish kills are caused by severe, prolonged frosts, and in summer by excess toxins released by algae blooms.

Among the endangered aquatic inhabitants, many are representatives of the sturgeon family. Rare fish such as thorn, kaluga and Azov beluga are predators. Most sturgeon feed on benthos, consisting of algae, flowering plants, and bottom animals. Endangered fish species in Russia include: common taimen, lenok, sea lamprey, Dnieper barbel, Kildin cod.

Crustaceans that deserve close attention from environmental services are considered Deryugin craboids, mantis crayfish, Japanese crabs. A number of mollusks are endangered in Russia: Zimina and Alimova's arsenium, Tuinova's pearl mussel, Maak's lanceolaria, coastal corbicula, Thomas's rapana, Buldov's cylindrical. It is worth noting that the decline in the population of aquatic animals does not pass without leaving a trace. It provokes the uncontrolled spread of plants and leads to a decrease in the number of seabirds or their migration.

The key reason for the extinction of certain insect species is related to human economic activity. On the verge of extinction in Russia were:

• Felder's Apollo;
• warty omias;
• wavy brachycerus;
• blue arcte;
• Argali blueberry;
• Gebler's ground beetle;
• wrinkled mower;
• gloomy wave;
• excellent marshmallows;
• reticular krastel;
• owl asteropethes;
• steppe fatty;
• four-spotted stephanocleonus;
• Parrey's clicker.

A decrease in the number of insects invariably leads to a serious imbalance in ecosystems: the replacement of some plants by others, the disappearance of birds and amphibians from their usual habitats.

Amphibians and reptiles are victims of both accidental and targeted extermination. Amphibians and reptiles often die under the wheels of cars or at the hands of farmers. Frogs, snakes, turtles, and crocodiles are hunted in many countries for the purpose of obtaining meat and leather raw materials, as well as making souvenirs.

Recognized as endangered species in Russia Mediterranean turtles and gray geckos. The number of vipers, Kaznakov's and Dinnik's vipers, Far Eastern tortoises, Lantz's common newts, Ussuri clawed newts, Caucasian cross and toads, and reed toads is steadily declining in the country.

Thus, hundreds of animal species are included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The largest endangered groups are birds and insects.

01/01/2016 at 17:56 · Pavlofox · 48 750

Extinct animals due to human fault - list with description

Nature is the first to pay for the great successes of human civilization. By providing themselves with a comfortable existence, people become responsible for the death of entire species of representatives of the animal and plant world. Extinct animals due to human fault - how many of them have disappeared from the face of the Earth forever? We have compiled a rating of the most amazing and beautiful creatures that people will never see again.

10.

– a vivid example of man’s predatory attitude towards nature. The species was discovered by Bering's expedition in 1741. This animal, extinct due to the fault of man, was distinguished by a sedentary lifestyle and apathy. The sea cow, or cabbage fish, reached an impressive size - about 8 meters in length. One of the characteristics of the animal was its complete lack of fear of people. Unfortunately, these sea creatures had tasty meat. By 1768, the modest population of sea cows had been decimated by humans. The closest relative of the sea cow is the dugong.

9. Javan tiger

The list of extinct animals due to human fault continues. He belonged to the smallest subspecies of tigers. Habitat: Java Island. The reason for the extinction is active hunting and destruction of the animal’s habitat by humans. By the mid-80s XX century, only three individuals of the Javan tiger have survived. He was last seen in 1979. The species is considered extinct, although there are occasional reports of tigers being seen on the island of Java. Zoologists are skeptical about this, believing that a leopard is being mistaken for a Javan tiger.

Other subspecies of tigers are also on the verge of extinction. For example, the Sumatran tiger population currently numbers only 300 individuals.

8.

(thylacine) is the only representative of marsupial wolves in the world, completely destroyed by man. Habitat: Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. Europeans first encountered the Tasmanian wolf in XVIII century. At the beginning of the 19th century, hunting for animals was opened. Farmers considered wolves the main enemy for their sheep. As a result, a few animals survived only in hard-to-reach places in Tasmania. IN XX century, due to the outbreak of canine distemper on the island, the population of the Tasmanian wolf declined catastrophically. Despite this, it was not listed as a protected species and hunting for it was not officially prohibited. The last wild Tasmanian wolf was killed in 1930. Scientists suggest that isolated representatives of the species could survive in hard-to-reach places on the island. Despite the high reward offered for the capture of the animal, there is no documentary evidence that the Tasmanian wolf is not extinct.

7. Mauritian dodo

The most famous representatives of animals extinct due to the fault of humans include the dodo or. It disappeared so quickly after the discovery of this species of flightless bird by European travelers that for a long time scientists considered the dodo a mythical creature.

Habitat: Mauritius island. The dodo was first discovered by Dutch sailors in XVI century. From that moment on, the bird was subjected to intensive extermination and disappeared in the middle XVII century. The Dodo became famous thanks to Lewis Carroll, who made it a character in Alice in Wonderland. The writer identified Dodo with himself.

6.

One of the most famous subspecies of the wild bull is another representative of animals that have become extinct due to human economic activity and hunting. The primitive aurochs were exterminated in Africa and Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. In Central Europe, its population has begun to decline since deforestation. TO XV century, animals were taken under protection, but their numbers were steadily declining. The last round disappeared in the middle XVII century. Enthusiasts from different countries are reviving tours.

5.

(Cameroonian subspecies) is another representative of animals that became extinct due to human fault. Its name is arbitrary, since the color of the animals depends on the color of the soil of the area where they live. Until the middle XIX centuries, the black rhinoceros was an ordinary inhabitant of Africa. But then, thanks to the belief in the miraculous power of the horns, a hunt was opened for them. Animal horns were also used as material for dagger handles. Now the total number of black rhinoceroses does not exceed 4 thousand individuals, but the Cameroonian subspecies did not survive extermination by poachers and was declared extinct in 2011.

4.

The only representative of the genus became another sad example of animals, extinct due to human fault. Lived in North America and became extinct as a result of merciless hunting. The last Carolina parrots were seen in 1926. The species is officially declared extinct.

3.

- giant wingless birds, extinct due to the fault of man in XVI century. Lived in New Zealand. Some species were gigantic in size - up to 3.6 meters in height. Moa were herbivores. They ate fruits, leaves and shoots. Extinct at the beginning XVI century. The Majoris, the indigenous population of New Zealand, are to blame for the disappearance of these amazing creatures.

2.

- an example of how the most common bird on Earth can be destroyed by humans. Lived in North America. The population decline began in XIX century. This was facilitated by many reasons, among which poaching was in first place. The meat of the passenger pigeon was very tasty, and the inhabitants of the northern states mercilessly destroyed the birds. The last representatives of the species disappeared at the beginning XX century.

1.

- in 1st place in the sad list of animals that have become extinct due to human fault.

Many people followed the fate of Lonesome George. He was the last member of the Abingdon elephant tortoise subspecies. He spent the last years of his life on the island of Santa Cruz, where the Darwin Research Station is located. For many years, zoologists did not lose hope of obtaining George's offspring by crossing with related species, but the egg embryos turned out to be non-viable. On June 24, 2012, the last of the Abingdon giant elephant tortoises died at about 100 years of age. This subspecies of Galapagos tortoise is now officially declared extinct.

Humans are to blame for the disappearance of elephant turtles. For hundreds of years they were used as live canned food, transported in the holds of ships.

The statistics on endangered animal species are horrifying. Thanks to human economic activities, we lose several species of animals, plants, birds and insects every day. We are the main cause of the catastrophic death of the animal and plant world of the Earth. Today, 40% of living beings are on the verge of extinction and this terrible figure is only increasing.

Readers' Choice:

Something is constantly changing in nature, and these changes can be either minor or global. Unstable climate, epidemics, environmental pollution, deforestation - all this negatively affects the animal world. All forms of life on Earth are closely interconnected and the disappearance of one species or another affects other types of the ecosystem. The fact that there are rare and endangered animals on our planet is mainly the fault of humans.

Intensified hunting at the end of the Ice Age led to the extinction of the mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, cave bear and big-horned deer.

The invention of fire by man brought a lot of harm to the animal world. Fires have destroyed vast areas of forests.

The negative impact of humans on the animal world has intensified with the development of agriculture and cattle breeding. The result of this is simply disappeared animals and birds that have lost their habitat, as dense forests were replaced by steppes and savannas.

Caring for animals and plants has long been a task. Other organizations are also working on this. Rare and endangered animals (as well as plants) are listed in the Red Book. The country on whose territory endangered species live has a responsibility to all humanity for their conservation. Currently, conditions for conservation are created in nature reserves and sanctuaries where they are cared for, fed, protected from diseases and predators.

Special pages of the Red Book have an ominous name - the Black Book. It records which animals have disappeared forever from the face of the earth, starting with the Black Book - this is a warning to people and a reminder of those representatives of our world who can no longer be returned. The book of extinct animals is constantly updated. There are already several hundred species on its pages. And this is a very sad statistic.

This article describes some animals that have disappeared due to human fault.

Tasmanian or marsupial wolf

This animal is native to mainland Australia and the island of New Guinea. For the first time, the marsupial wolf had to change its habitat after people transported it to the island. The marsupial wolf, forced out by them, ended up on the island of Tasmania, where local farmers began to mercilessly exterminate it, trying to protect the sheep.

The last representative of the species was killed in 1930. The date of its final disappearance is considered to be 1936, when the last Tasmanian wolf died of old age in the Australian Zoo.

Woolly Mammoth

There is an opinion that the birthplace of this animal is Siberia, and later it spread throughout Europe and North America. The mammoth was not as huge as is commonly believed. It was slightly larger in size than a modern elephant.

These animals, which disappeared because of humans (presumably), lived in groups. They moved from place to place in search of food, of which they required considerable quantities. The group of mammoths was led by a female.

The complete disappearance of this animal species occurred approximately ten thousand years ago. Modern researchers are inclined to believe that the main reason for the extinction of mammoths was people, although there are many other theories (climate changes, epidemics, etc.).

Mauritian dodo (dodo)

This bird has long been considered mythical, not existing in nature.
And only after a specially organized expedition to Mauritius discovered the remains of the dodo, the existence of the species was officially recognized. In addition, it was proven that it was people who exterminated these birds.

The year when this species completely disappeared from the face of the earth is considered to be 1914, when a bird named Martha died in one of the zoos.

North African cow antelope

An animal from the subfamily of large antelopes that live in Africa disappeared from the map of the Earth in the mid-twentieth century.

Due to the fact that these animals were actively hunted, the last representatives of this species could be found only in places on the African continent that were very inaccessible to humans. In 1954 finally.

Javan tiger

In the nineteenth century, this tiger could be found on the island of Java. The animal constantly annoyed local residents, which may have been the reason for the active hunt for it.

By 1950, there were about 25 tigers remaining in Java, and half of them lived in a specially created reserve. Unfortunately, this did not help save the population - in 1970, only seven tigers remained.

In the same year, the animal completely disappeared from the face of the earth. Although there are still occasional reports that a Javan tiger has been discovered on the island again. But there is no documentary evidence of these cases.

Zanzibar leopard

The history of the destruction of this animal is very unusual. The Zanzibar leopard was deliberately exterminated by local residents, going on hunts with the entire village. Moreover, it was not the meat or the skin of the animal that attracted people. It was believed that this leopard is associated with witches who breed and train representatives of the species, and later use them as assistants in their dark deeds.

The extermination of leopards began in 1960. These animals completely disappeared exactly thirty years later.

Iberian ibex

It is one of four species of Spanish wild goats. The animal did not survive to this day, and the death of the last representative was extremely absurd - a tree fell on the animal and crushed it.

The year of complete extinction is considered to be 2000. Scientists tried to clone the Iberian ibex, but the cub could not be saved, as it had many birth defects.

Western black rhinoceros

Just a few years ago the animal was declared extinct. The reason for this was regular hunting in its habitat, which is Cameroon. These animals, which disappeared due to the fault of man, had very valuable horns, which were used in many recipes of Chinese medicine.

The search for surviving rhinoceroses began in 2006, but did not bring any results. Therefore, the species was declared extinct. In addition, other rhinoceroses are on the verge of extinction.

The year of complete extinction of the species is considered to be 2011.

This article presents only some of the animals that have disappeared due to human fault. Over the past five hundred years, more than 844 species have been extirpated.