List of extinct animals of Africa
Encyclopedia
The list of extinct animals in Africa features the animals that have become extinct on the African continent
and its islands, like Madagascar
, Mauritius
, Rodrigues
, Réunion
, Seychelles
, Saint Helena
, Cape Verde
, etc.
Pleistocene
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and its islands, like Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, Rodrigues
Rodrigues
Rodrigues is a common surname in the Portuguese language. It was originally a Patronymic, meaning Son of Rodrigo or Son of Rui. The "es" signifies "son of". The name Rodrigo is the Portuguese form of Roderick, meaning "famous power" or "famous ruler", from the Germanic elements "hrod" and "ric" ,...
, Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
, Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
, Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
, etc.
PleistocenePleistoceneThe Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
Extinctions
- AnancusAnancusAnancus is an extinct genus of gomphothere endemic to Africa, Europe, and Asia, that lived during the Turolian age of the late Miocene to early Pleistocene, roughly from 3—1.5 million years ago....
- African DeinotheriumDeinotheriumDeinotherium , also called the Hoe tusker, was a large prehistoric relative of modern-day elephants that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. During that time it changed very little...
Deinotherium bozai - Damaliscus niro Giant blesbok
- DinofelisDinofelisDinofelis is a genus of sabre-toothed cats belonging to the tribe Metailurini. They were widespread in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America at least 5 million to about 1.2 million years ago...
Dirk-toothed cat - Elephas reckiElephas reckiElephas recki is an extinct species related to the Asian elephant Elephas maximus. At up to 15 feet in shoulder height, it was one of the largest elephant species to have ever lived. It is believed that E. recki ranged throughout Africa between 3.5 and 1 million years ago. The Asian Elephant is...
- Equus capensis
- Giraffa jumaeGiraffa jumaeGiraffa jumae is an extinct species of even-toed mammal in the Giraffidae family. The species ranged from Malawi to Chad with a possible occurrence of the species or a closely related species found in Turkey. The type specimen was discovered during trenching excavations on the upper member of the...
- HipparionHipparionHipparion is an extinct genus of horse living in North America, Asia, Europe, and Africa during the Miocene through Pleistocene ~23 Mya—781,000 years ago, existing for...
Three-toed horse - Hippopotamus gorgopsHippopotamus gorgopsHippopotamus gorgops is an extinct species of hippopotamus. It first appeared in Africa during the late Miocene, and eventually migrated into Europe during the early Pliocene . It became extinct prior to the Ice Age.With a length of and a shoulder height of H...
- Homo erectusHomo erectusHomo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
- Homo habilisHomo habilisHomo habilis is a species of the genus Homo, which lived from approximately at the beginning of the Pleistocene period. The discovery and description of this species is credited to both Mary and Louis Leakey, who found fossils in Tanzania, East Africa, between 1962 and 1964. Homo habilis Homo...
- HomotheriumHomotheriumHomotherium is an extinct genus of machairodontine saber-toothed cats, often termed scimitar cats, endemic to North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs , existing for approximately .It first became extinct in Africa some 1.5 million years ago...
Scimitar-toothed cat - Mammuthus Mammoth
- MegalotragusMegalotragusMegalotragus is a genus of very large extinct African alcelaphines from the Pliocene and Pleistocene. It resembled modern hartebeests, but differed in larger body size, it includes the largest bovids in the tribe Alcelaphini, reaching a shoulder height of 1,4 m. Megalotragus disappeared at the end...
Giant hartebeest - MegantereonMegantereonMegantereon was an ancient machairodontine saber-toothed cat that lived in North America, Eurasia, and Africa. It may be the ancestor of Smilodon.- Fossil range :...
Sabre-toothed cat - MetaxytheriumMetaxytheriumMetaxytherium is an extinct genus of dugong that lived from the Miocene to the Pleistocene. Its remains have been found in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.- Sources :*Manatees and Dugongs of the World by Jeff Ripple...
- MetridiochoerusMetridiochoerusMetridiochoerus is an extinct genus of pig indigenous to the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Africa.-Description:Metridiochoerus was a large animal, in length, resembling a giant warthog. It had two large pairs of tusks which were pointed sideways and curved upwards...
Giant Warthog - ParacamelusParacamelusParacamelus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore the family Camelidae, endemic to Africa, Europe, and Asia from the Pliocene through Pleistocene 5.33 mya—781,000 years ago existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
- Paranthropus boiseiParanthropus boiseiParanthropus boisei was an early hominin and described as the largest of the Paranthropus species...
- PelorovisPelorovisPelorovis is an extinct genus of African wild cattle, which first appeared in the Pliocene, 2.5 million years ago., and became extinct at the end of the Late Pleistocene about 12.000 years ago or even during the Holocene, some 4,000 years ago...
Giant-horned buffalo (4 sp.) - SivatheriumSivatheriumSivatherium ' is an extinct genus of giraffid that ranged throughout Africa to Southern Asia . The African species, S...
African Sivatherium - Theropithecus oswaldi Giant Gelada
- Xenocyon lycaonoidesXenocyon lycaonoidesXenocyon lycaonoides is an extinct canid from the Pleistocene of Eurasia. It lived from 1.8 Ma to 126,000 years ago, existing for approximately .It preyed on antelope, deer, elephant calves, aurochs, baboons, wild horse and perhaps humans...
African wolf
Mammals
- Antidorcas australis (ca 7000 BPBefore PresentBefore Present years is a time scale used in archaeology, geology, and other scientific disciplines to specify when events in the past occurred. Because the "present" time changes, standard practice is to use AD 1950 as the origin of the age scale, reflecting the fact that radiocarbon...
, Cape province, South Africa) - Antidorcas bondi (ca 7000 BP, Cape province, South Africa)
- Atlas BearAtlas BearThe Atlas Bear is an extinct subspecies of the Brown Bear, which is sometimes classified as a distinct species.-Range and description:...
, Ursus arctos crowtheri (1844, North Africa) - Atlas Wild AssAtlas Wild AssThe Atlas Wild Ass , also known as Algerian Wild Ass is an extinct animal. It was last shown in a villa mural in AD 300 in Bona, Algeria, and went extinct after Roman sport hunting.-Taxonomy:...
Equus africanus atlanticus, also known as Algerian Wild Ass. (300, North Africa) - BluebuckBluebuckThe Bluebuck or Blue Antelope , sometimes called Blaubok, is an extinct species of antelope, the first large African mammal to disappear in historic times. It is related to the Roan Antelope and Sable Antelope, but slightly smaller than either...
or Blue Antelope, Hippotragus leucophaeus (1799, South Africa) - Bubal HartebeestBubal HartebeestThe Bubal Hartebeest is classified as an extinct antelope.The statement that the antelope was extinct in 1923 has been refuted by the following source written in 1945...
, Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus (1923, North Africa) - Canary Islands giant ratsCanariomysCanariomys is an extinct genus of rodents that once existed on the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, part of the Canary Islands, Spain...
, Canariomys tamarani and C. bravoi (Canary IslandsCanary IslandsThe Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
) - Cape ServalCape ServalThe Cape Serval is an extinct subspecies of Serval that had once resided in Africa.-Habitat:The Cape Serval was found in savannas throughout Africa...
, Leptailurus serval serval (South Africa) - Cape WarthogCape WarthogThe Cape Warthog is an extinct animal that had originally resided in South Africa.The Cape Warthog is quite distinguishable from other hogs, yet it has similar properties to that of a Somali Warthog...
, Phacochoerus aethiopicus aethiopicus (1900, South Africa) - Ethiopian Amphibious RatEthiopian Amphibious RatThe Ethiopian Amphibious Rat or Ethiopian Water Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Nilopegamys.It is found only in Ethiopia.Its natural habitat is rivers....
, Nilopegamys plumbeus (EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
) (possible extinct, only known by holotype found in 1927) - Ethiopian Hyena, Hyaena crocuta hybridus (Ethiopia)
- Giant aye-ayeGiant Aye-ayeThe giant aye-aye is an extinct relative of the aye-aye, the only other species in the genus Daubentonia. It lived in Madagascar, appears to have disappeared less than 1,000 years ago, is entirely unknown in life, and is only known from subfossil remains.As of 2004, giant aye-aye remains consisted...
, Daubentonia robusta (Madagascar) - Giant Fossa, Cryptoprocta spelea (Madagascar)
- Hipposideros besaokaHipposideros besaokaHipposideros besaoka is an extinct bat from Madagascar in the genus Hipposideros. It is known from numerous jaws and teeth, which were collected in a cave at Anjohibe in 1996 and described as a new species in 2007...
(Madagascar) - Koala lemurs, three species in the genus Megaladapis (1500, Madagascar)
- Lava MouseLava MouseThe Lava Mouse, Malpaisomys insularis, is an extinct endemic rodent from the Canary Islands, Spain. It is the only species in the genus Malpaisomys....
, Malpaisomys insularis (Canary IslandsCanary IslandsThe Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
) - Lesser Mascarene Flying Fox, Pteropus subniger (1862, Réunion)
- Madagascan Dwarf Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus lemerlei (Madagascar)
- Madagascan Pygmy Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus madagascariensis (Madagascar)
- North African Aurochs, Bos primigenius mauretanicus (Unknown date, North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
) - North African ElephantNorth African ElephantThe North African Elephant was a possible subspecies of the African Bush Elephant , or possibly a separate elephant species, that existed in North Africa until becoming extinct in Ancient Roman times. These were the famous war elephants used by Carthage in the Punic Wars, their conflict with the...
, Loxodonta africana pharaoensis (300, North Africa) - North African Serval, Leptailurus serval constantina (North Africa)
- PlesiorycteropusPlesiorycteropusPlesiorycteropus, also known as the bibymalagasy or Malagasy aardvark, is a recently extinct eutherian mammalian genus from Madagascar. Upon its description in 1895, it was classified with the aardvark, but recent studies have found little evidence to link it to aardvarks or any other order of...
(Madagascar) - QuaggaQuaggaThe quagga is an extinct subspecies of the plains zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa's Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State. It was distinguished from other zebras by having the usual vivid marks on the front part of the body only...
, Equus quagga quagga (1883, South Africa) - Red GazelleRed GazelleThe red gazelle was thought to be an extinct species of gazelle. It was formerly considered a member of the genus Gazella within the subgenus Eudorcas before Eudorcas was promoted to a full genus...
, Gazella rufina (1894, Algeria) - Roberts' LechweRoberts' LechweRoberts' lechwe or Kawambwa lechwe is an extinct subspecies of lechwe. It was found around Kawambwa, Zambia, but no populations now survive....
, Kobus leche robertsi (Zambia)
Birds
- Alaotra GrebeAlaotra GrebeThe Alaotra Grebe , also known as Delacour's Little Grebe or Rusty Grebe, was a grebe endemic to Lake Alaotra and surrounding lakes in Madagascar. The last sighting was in 1985 and the species was declared extinct in 2010...
, Tachybaptus rufolavatus (Madagascar) - Aldabra Brush-warbler, Nesillas aldabrana (Seychelles)
- AepyornisAepyornisAepyornis is a genus of aepyornithid, one of two genera of ratite birds endemic to Madagascar known as elephant birds. This animal was the world's largest bird until its extinction, about 1000 years ago.-Description:...
or Great Elephant Bird, Aepyornis maximus (Madagascar) - Ascension Flightless CrakeAscension Flightless CrakeThe Ascension Crake is an extinct flightless bird that previously lived on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It was declared extinct by Groombridge in 1994; BirdLife International confirmed this in 2000 and 2004. It is a member of the family Rallidae.The bird was endemic to Ascension...
, Mundia elpenor (Saint Helena) - Broad-billed ParrotBroad-billed ParrotThe Broad-billed Parrot was a parrot endemic to the island of Mauritius that became extinct.-Description:...
, Lophopsittacus mauritianus (Mauritius) - Delalande's CouaDelalande's CouaDelalande's Coua , also known as Snail-eating Coua and Delalande's Coucal, is an extinct species of non-parasitic cuckoo from Madagascar. It only was known to science as an extant bird for a very short time in the early 19th century...
, Coua delalandei (Madagascar) - DodoDodoThe dodo was a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Related to pigeons and doves, it stood about a meter tall, weighing about , living on fruit, and nesting on the ground....
, Raphus cucullatus (Mauritius) - Large Saint Helena Petrel, Pterodroma rupinarum (Saint Helena)
- Mauritius Blue PigeonMauritius Blue PigeonThe Mauritius Blue Pigeon or Pigeon Hollandais is an extinct species of pigeon formerly endemic to Mauritius...
, Alectroenas nitidissima (Mauritius) - Mascarene CootMascarene CootThe Mascarene Coot is an extinct species of coot that inhabited the Mascarene islands of Mauritius and Réunion. Long known from subfossil bones found on the former island, but only assumed from descriptions to also have been present on the latter, remains have more recently been found on Réunion...
, Fulica newtoni (Réunion, Mauritius) - Mascarene ParrotMascarene ParrotThe Mascarene Parrot is an extinct species of parrot known from bones, specimens and descriptions to have occurred in the Mascarene island of Réunion, and possibly Mauritius. The bird was first described by Dubois in 1674...
, Mascarinus mascarinus (Réunion) - Mauritian DuckMauritian DuckThe Mauritian Duck , also known as Sauzier's Teal, is an extinct dabbling duck that formerly occurred on the islands of Mauritius and Réunion. It was a small teal of the Anas gibberifrons superspecies of the Anas subgenus Nettion...
, Anas theodori (Mauritius) - Mauritian ShelduckMauritian ShelduckThe Mauritian Shelduck is an extinct species of goose from Mauritius. It was a close relative of the Egyptian Goose. Known from one or two subfossil carpometacarpus bones and a few descriptions, this bird was about the size of a Brent Goose. Its appearance is unknown, except that its wings showed...
, Alopochen mauritianus (MauritiusMauritiusMauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
) - Mauritius Grey Parrot, Lophopsittacus bensoni (Mauritius)
- Mauritius Night-Heron, Nycticorax mauritianus (Mauritius)
- Mauritius OwlMauritius OwlThe extinct Mauritius Owl , also called Commerson's, Sauzier's or Newton's Owl, was endemic to the Mascarene island of Mauritius...
, Mascarenotus sauzieri (Mauritius) - Newton's ParakeetNewton's ParakeetThe Newton's Parakeet was a parrot that was endemic to the forests of the island of Rodrigues, a dependency of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean...
, Psittacula exsul (Mauritius) - Red RailRed RailThe Red Rail or Red Hen of Mauritius, Aphanapteryx bonasia, is an extinct rail. It was only found on the island of Mauritius. The Red Rail, which today is only known from a large number of bones, some descriptions and a handful of drawings and paintings, was a flightless bird, somewhat larger than...
, Aphanapteryx bonasia (Mauritius) - Réunion Flightless Ibis, Threskiornis solitarius (Réunion)
- Réunion Gallinule, Porphyrio coerulescens (Réunion)
- Réunion KestrelRéunion KestrelThe Réunion Kestrel is an extinct bird of prey which belongs to the falcon family. It inhabited the Mascarene island of Réunion and was part of the Western Indian Ocean radiation of kestrels....
, Falco buboisi (Réunion) - Réunion Night-Heron, Nycticorax duboisi (Réunion)
- Réunion OwlRéunion OwlThe Réunion Owl was a small owl that occurred on the Mascarene island of Réunion, but became extinct before living birds could be described; it is only known from subfossil bones. It belongs to the Mascarene owls of the genus Mascarenotus, and most likely was similar to a Long-eared Owl in size...
, Mascarenotus grucheti (Réunion) - Réunion Pigeon, Columba duboisi (Réunion)
- Réunion ShelduckRéunion ShelduckThe Réunion Shelduck or Kervazo's Egyptian Goose is an extinct species of goose from Réunion. It was a close relative of the Egyptian Goose and was about the same size. There is only one description remaining, that of Dubois made in 1674. He merely mentions that they were similar to European geese...
, Mascarenachen kervazoi (Réunion) - Réunion Starling, Fregilupus varius (Réunion)
- Rodrigues Night-Heron, Nycticorax megacephalus (Mauritius)
- Rodrigues OwlRodrigues OwlThe Rodrigues Owl , also known as Leguat's Owl or Rodrigues Little Owl, was a small owl. It lived on the Mascarene island of Rodrigues, but it is nowadays extinct. It is part of the genus of Mascarene owls, Mascarenotus...
, Mascarenotus murivorus (Mauritius) - Rodrigues ParrotRodrigues ParrotThe Rodrigues Parrot is an extinct species of parrot which once lived on the Mascarene island of Rodrigues. It is known from subfossil bones and the 1708 description of Leguat as well as the 1726 report of Julien Tafforet...
, Necropsittacus rodericanus (Mauritius) - Rodrigues Pigeon, Alectroenas rodericana (Mauritius)
- Rodrigues RailRodrigues RailThe Rodrigues Rail or Leguat's Gelinote is an extinct bird named after the learned traveller François Leguat, who came with a band of Huguenot religious refugees to Rodrigues in 1691 and stayed there for two years. It was also mentioned by Julien Tafforet in 1726...
, Aphanapteryx leguati (Mauritius) - Rodrigues SolitaireRodrigues SolitaireThe Rodrigues Solitaire was a flightless member of the pigeon order endemic to Rodrigues, Mauritius. It was a close relative of the Dodo.-Discovery:...
, Pezophaps solitaria (Mauritius) - Rodrigues StarlingRodrigues StarlingThe Rodrigues Starling , alternatively spelled Rodriguez Starling, is an extinct and quite enigmatic songbird species. It is the only valid species in genus Necropsar, and provisionally assigned to the starling family . This bird used to inhabit Rodrigues in the Mascarenes and at least one of its...
, Necropsar rodericanus (Mauritius) - Seychelles ParakeetSeychelles ParakeetThe Seychelles Parakeet occurred in the Indian ocean islands of the Seychelles group. It resembled the Alexandrine Parakeet but was smaller and lacked the pink colour in its collar...
, Psittacula wardi (Seychelles) - Small Saint Helena Petrel, Bulweria bifax (Saint Helena)
- Saint Helena Crake, Atlantisia podarces (Saint Helena)
- Saint Helena Cuckoo, Nannococcyx psix (Saint Helena)
- Saint Helena Dove, Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos (Saint Helena)
- Saint Helena Hoopoe, Upupa antaios (Saint Helena)
- Saint Helena Rail, Porzana astrictocarpus (Saint Helena)
- Tristan MoorhenTristan MoorhenThe Tristan Moorhen is an extinct flightless rail from the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha. It was physically similar to the Gough Island Moorhen of Gough Island, located 395 miles to the southeast....
, Gallinula nesiotis (Saint Helena) - Canarian Black OystercatcherCanarian Black OystercatcherThe Canarian Oystercatcher or Canary Islands Oystercatcher, Haematopus meadewaldoi,was a shorebird endemic to Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and their offshore islets in the Canary Islands, Spain....
, Haematopus meadewaldoi 1981 (TenerifeTenerifeTenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
) - Canary Islands QuailCanary Islands QuailThe Canary Islands Quail once occurred on the islands of El Hierro, La Palma, Tenerife and Fuerteventura . It might also have inhabited Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, but there are no remains found on these islands....
, Coturnix gomerae (Canary IslandsCanary IslandsThe Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
) - Eastern Canary Islands ChiffchaffEastern Canary Islands ChiffchaffThe Eastern Canary Islands Chiffchaff or Lanzarote Island Chiffchaff was a subspecies of the Canary Islands Chiffchaff endemic to the island of Lanzarote - and possibly also Fuerteventura - in the Canary Islands, Spain....
, Phylloscopus canariensis exsul 1986 (LanzaroteLanzaroteLanzarote , a Spanish island, is the easternmost of the autonomous Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 125 km off the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering 845.9 km2, it stands as the fourth largest of the islands...
, FuerteventuraFuerteventuraFuerteventura , a Spanish island, is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is situated at 28°20' north, 14°00' west. At 1,660 km² it is the second largest of the Canary Islands, after Tenerife...
) - Madeiran Wood PigeonMadeiran Wood PigeonThe Madeiran Wood Pigeon was an endemic subspecies of the Wood Pigeon for Madeira . This Wood Pigeon is endemic to the Laurel forest habitat....
, Columba palumbus maderensis 1924 (MadeiraMadeiraMadeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
) - Assumption Island White-throated Rail Dryolimnas cuvieri abbotti (between 1905 and 1937, Assumption, Astove, Cosmoledo)
Reptiles
- Cape Verde Giant SkinkMacroscincusMacroscincus coctei, also called the Cape Verde Giant Skink, Lagarto, or Cocteau's Skink, is a reptile that was at one time known to inhabit the islands of Branco and Raso in the Cape Verde islands of the Atlantic Ocean, rendered deserts by human caused habitat destruction. No Macroscincus coctei...
, Macroscincus coctei (Cape Verde) - Eastwood's Long-tailed Seps, Tetradactylus eastwoodae (South Africa)
- Leiolopisma mauritianaLeiolopisma mauritianaLeiolopisma mauritiana also known as "Didosaurus maurtianus," was a large species of skink . It was found only in Mauritius, but became extinct around 1600 probably due to introduced predators. It may have been somewhat fossorial in nature. This is speculative and based on a reconstruction...
(Mauritius) - Saddle-backed Mauritius Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis inepta (Mauritius)
- Domed Mauritius Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis triserrata (Mauritius)
- Mozambique centipede-eater, Aparallactus nigriceps (Mozambique)
- Réunion Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis indica (Réunion)
- Rodrigues Giant Day GeckoRodrigues giant day geckoRodrigues giant day gecko was an extinct diurnal species of gecko. It lived on the island of Rodrigues and surrounding islands and typically dwelt on trees. The Rodrigues giant day gecko fed on insects and nectar.-Description:...
, Phelsuma gigas (Rodrigues) - Rodrigues day geckoRodrigues day geckoRodrigues day gecko is a now extinct diurnal species of geckos. It lived on the island of Rodrigues and typically inhabited forests and dwelt in trees...
, Phelsuma edwardnewtoni (Rodrigues) - Domed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis peltastes (Rodrigues)
- Saddle-backed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis vosmaeri (Mauritius) 1795
- Round Island Burrowing Boa, Bolyeria multocarinata (Round Island, Mauritius)
- Seychelles Black TerrapinSeychelles Black TerrapinThe Seychelles black terrapin , Seychelles mud turtle, or Seychelles terrapin was a species of turtle in the Pelomedusidae family. It was endemic to Seychelles. It became extinct due to habitat loss.-References:...
, Pelusios seychellensis (Seychelles) - Typhlops carieiTyphlops carieiTyphlops cariei is a harmless blind snake species found in Mauritius. It is known only from recent fossils and is considered to be extinct. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:Found in only on the island of Mauritius...
(Mauritius) - Roque Chico de Salmor Giant LizardRoque Chico de Salmor Giant LizardThe Roque Chico de Salmor Giant Lizard was the nominate subspecies of the lacertid Gallotia simonyi. It was once present on a small islet near El Hierro in the Canary Islands....
, Gallotia simonyi simonyi 1935 (Canary Islands)
Fish
- Pantanodon madagascariensisPantanodon madagascariensisPantanodon madagascariensis was a species of fish in the Poeciliidae family. It was endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats were rivers and swamps. It became extinct due to habitat loss.-Source:...
(Madagascar) - Ptychochromis onilahy (Madagascar)
Insects
- Saint Helena Giant Earwig, Labidura herculeana (1967 Saint Helena)
- Aplothorax burchelli (1967 Saint Helena)
- Sympetrum dilatatumSympetrum dilatatumSympetrum dilatatum, the St. Helena Darter, is a species of dragonfly in family Libellulidae. It is endemic to Saint Helena where the last specimen recorded was in 1963. The species is assumed to be extinct.-Source:...
(1964 Saint Helena)
Molluscs
- Caldwellia philyrinaCaldwellia philyrina†Caldwellia philyrina was a species of minute, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Euconulidae, the hive snails. This species was endemic to Mauritius.-References:...
- Chilonopsis blofeldiChilonopsis blofeldi†Chilonopsis blofeldi was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Chilonopsis exulatusChilonopsis exulatus†Chilonopsis exulatus was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Chilonopsis helenaChilonopsis helena†Chilonopsis helena was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Chilonopsis melanoidesChilonopsis melanoides†Chilonopsis melanoides was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Chilonopsis nonpareilChilonopsis nonpareil†Chilonopsis nonpareil was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Chilonopsis subplicatusChilonopsis subplicatus†Chilonopsis subplicatus was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Chilonopsis subtruncatusChilonopsis subtruncatus†Chilonopsis subtruncatus was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae.This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Chilonopsis turtoniChilonopsis turtoni†Chilonopsis turtoni was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Subulinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Colparion madgeiColparion madgei†Colparion madgei was a species of small air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Euconulidae, the hive snails. This species was endemic to Mauritius. It is now extinct....
- Ctenoglypta newtoniCtenoglypta newtoni†Ctenoglypta newtoni was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Euconulidae, the hive snails. This species was endemic to Mauritius. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Cyclophorus horridulumCyclophorus horridulum†Cyclophorus horridulum was a species of small, air-breathing, land snails with an operculum, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Cyclophoridae.This species was endemic to Mayotte. It is now extinct....
- Cyclosurus marieiCyclosurus mariei†Cyclosurus mariei was a species of small, air-breathing, land snails with an operculum, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Cyclophoridae.This species was endemic to Mayotte. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Dupontia proletariaDupontia proletariaDupontia proletaria is an extinct species of small air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Euconulidae, the hive snails.This species is endemic to Mauritius and Réunion....
- Erepta nevilliErepta nevilli† Erepta nevilli was a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicarionidae. This species was endemic to Mauritius....
- Gibbus lyonetianusGibbus lyonetianusGibbus lyonetianus is an extinct species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Streptaxidae.This species was endemic to Mauritius. It is now extinct....
- Gonidomus newtoniGonidomus newtoni† Gonidomus newtoni is an extinct species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Streptaxidae.This species was endemic to Mauritius. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Gonospira nevilliGonospira nevilliGonospira nevilli is an extinct species of air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Streptaxidae.This species was endemic to Mauritius. It is now extinct....
- Gulella mayottensisGulella mayottensisGulella mayottensis was a species of very small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Streptaxidae. This species was endemic to Mayotte....
- Harmogenanina linophoraHarmogenanina linophora†Harmogenanina linophora was a species of air-breathing land snails or semislugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Helicarionidae.This species was endemic to Mauritius and Réunion. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Harmogenanina subdetectaHarmogenanina subdetecta†Harmogenanina subdetecta was a species of air-breathing land snails or semislugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Helicarionidae.This species was endemic to Réunion. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Helenoconcha leptaleaHelenoconcha leptalea†Helenoconcha leptalea was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Helenoconcha minutissimaHelenoconcha minutissimaHelenoconcha minutissima was a species of gastropod in the Charopidae family. It was endemic to Saint Helena.-Source:* Mollusc Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 7 August 2007....
- Helenoconcha polyodonHelenoconcha polyodon†Helenoconcha polyodon was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Helenoconcha pseustesHelenoconcha pseustes†Helenoconcha pseustes was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Helenoconcha sexdentataHelenoconcha sexdentata†Helenoconcha sexdentata was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Helenodiscus bilamellataHelenodiscus bilamellata†Helenodiscus bilamellata was a species of small air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Helenodiscus vernoniHelenodiscus vernoni†Helenodiscus vernoni was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Nesopupa turtoniNesopupa turtoniNesopupa turtoni is a species of very small air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Vertiginidae. Endemic to Saint Helena island, this species was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 2003....
- Pachnodus velutinusPachnodus velutinus† Pachnodus velutinus was a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Cerastidae. This species was endemic to the Seychelles. It is now extinct....
- Pachystyla rufozonataPachystyla rufozonata†Pachystyla rufozonata was a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Euconulidae, the hive snails.This species was endemic to Mauritius. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Pseudohelenoconcha spurcaPseudohelenoconcha spurcaPseudohelenoconcha spurca was a species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Endodontidae.It was found only in Saint Helena, ....
- Pupilla obliquicostaPupilla obliquicosta†Pupilla obliquicosta was a species of minute air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Pupillidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct....
- Rhachis comorensisRhachis comorensisRhachis comorensis was a species of gastropod in the Cerastidae family. It was endemic to Mayotte....
- Rhachis sanguineusRhachis sanguineusRhachis sanguineus was a species of gastropod in the Cerastidae family. It was endemic to Mauritius....
- Tropidophora desmazuresiTropidophora desmazuresi† Tropidophora desmazuresi was a species of land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Pomatiidae.This species was endemic to Mauritius. It is now extinct.-Source:* Griffiths, O. 1996. . Downloaded on 7 August 2007....
- Tropidophora semilineataTropidophora semilineataTropidophora semilineata was a species of gastropod in the Pomatiidae family. It was endemic to Mayotte....
- Unio carieiUnio carieiUnio cariei was a species of medium-sized freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusc in the family Unionidae.This species was endemic to the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, but it is now extinct.-Source:...
- Leiostyla lamellosaLeiostyla lamellosaLeiostyla lamellosa is an extinct species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lauriidae.This species is mentioned in annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive.-Distribution:...
(Land Snail from MadeiraMadeiraMadeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
) - Pseudocampylaea loweiiPseudocampylaea loweiiPseudocampylaea loweii is an extinct species of air-breathing land snail, a terretrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Hygromiidae, the hairy snails and their allies.-Distribution:This species was endemic to Madeira, Portugal....
(Land Snail from MadeiraMadeiraMadeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
)
Rediscovered
- Burchell's ZebraBurchell's ZebraBurchell's Zebra is a southern subspecies of the Plains Zebra.-Range:Formerly Burchell's zebra ranged north of the Vaal/Orange river system, extending northwest via southern Botswana to Etosha and the Kaokoveld, southeast to Swaziland and Kwazulu-Natal...
, Equus quagga burchellii - CoelacanthCoelacanthCoelacanths are members of an order of fish that includes the oldest living lineage of Sarcopterygii known to date....
, Latimeria chalumnae - Madagascar PochardMadagascar PochardThe Madagascar Pochard is an extremely rare diving duck of the genus Aythya, previously thought extinct. Prior to a rediscovery in 2006, the last confirmed sighting of the species was at Lake Alaotra on the Central Plateau of Madagascar in 1991...
, Aythya innotata - Omphalotropis plicosaOmphalotropis plicosaOmphalotropis plicosa is a species of minute salt marsh snail with an operculum, an terrestrial gastropod mollusk, or micromollusk, in the family Assimineidae. This species is endemic to Mauritius....
- Living population have been found in 2002.
Extinctions in the wild
- Barbary LionBarbary LionThe Barbary lion , also known as the Atlas lion or Nubian lion, is a subspecies of lion that became extinct in the wild or extinct in the 20th century....
, Panthera leo leo, (North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
) - Egyptian Barbary SheepBarbary sheepThe Barbary Sheep is a species of caprid native to rocky mountains in North Africa. Six subspecies have been described. Although it is rare in its native North Africa, it has been introduced to North America, southern Europe and elsewhere...
, Ammotragus lervia ornata (EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) - Cape LionCape LionThe Cape Lion, Panthera leo melanochaitus, is a subspecies of lion that is now extinct.Cape "black-maned" Lions ranged along the Cape of Africa on the southern tip of the continent. The Cape Lion was not the only subspecies living in South Africa, and its exact range is unclear. Its stronghold was...
, Panthera leo melanochaitus (CapeCapeCape can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening around the neck. They were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon, and have had periodic...
of AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
) - Labrochromis ishmaeli (Freshwater fish from Lake VictoriaLake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
; KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
) - Scimitar OryxScimitar OryxThe Scimitar Oryx, or Scimitar-Horned Oryx, is a species of oryx which formerly inhabited the whole of North Africa. It has been classified as extinct in the wild by the IUCN.-Etymology and taxonomy:...
, Oryx dammah (AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Burkina FasoBurkina FasoBurkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, ChadChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, MaliMaliMali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, MauritaniaMauritaniaMauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
, MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, NigerNigerNiger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, SudanSudanSudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Western SaharaWestern SaharaWestern Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
) - Paretroplus menaramboParetroplus menaramboThe pinstripe menarambo or pinstripe damba is a critically endangered species of cichlid fish from floodplain lakes in the Sofia River system in northwestern Madagascar. It is threatened by invasive species and over-fishing. It is part of a captive breeding program by public institutions like...
(Freshwater fish from MadagascarMadagascarThe Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
) - Platytaeniodus degeniPlatytaeniodus degeniHaplochromis degeni is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cichlidae. It is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Platytaeniodus, but FishBase leves it in Haplochromis pending a thorough review of that group....
(Freshwater fish from Lake VictoriaLake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
; KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
) - Prognathochromis perrieri Yssichromis sp. nov. 'argens'Yssichromis sp. nov. 'argens'Yssichromis sp. nov. "argens" is an undescribed species of ray-finned fish in the family Cichlidae that was endemic to Lake Victoria, but now is extinct in the wild and survives only in private and public aquariums, some of which take part in a Species Survival Plan of the Association of Zoos and...
Haplochromis lividusHaplochromis lividusHaplochromis lividus is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It was found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, but only survives as aquarium populations.-Source:* Kaufman, L. 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
(Freshwater fish from Lake VictoriaLake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
; KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
)
See also
- List of extinct animals of Réunion
- List of extinct animals
- List of extinct animals of Asia
- List of extinct animals of Europe
- List of extinct animals of South America
- Extinct birdsExtinct birdsSince 1500, over 190 species of birds have become extinct, and this rate of extinction seems to be increasing. The situation is exemplified by Hawaii, where 30% of all known recently extinct bird taxa originally lived...