How did the great auk go extinct?

There used to be millions of these birds in Canada, in France, and even in Florida. But that was before humans got involved...

Transcript

01:00So prior to this, they had only been killed by local people throughout their distribution

01:12for sustenance.

01:13But at this time, the hunting really intensified and sailors were killing them as a food source

01:19to feed themselves after travelling across these long distances without fresh meat for

01:24months.

01:25In the 1700s, then, a feather trade also developed for them.

01:29And so the birds were being killed for their feathers to be used in mattresses and pillows.

01:36And also towards the end of their existence, when they became rare, they were also killed

01:41to be put in museum collections around the world.

01:55They were very clumsy on land.

02:04They were more adapted to life in the sea.

02:07So when they were in the sea, they were very agile and could move very well.

02:12But when they were on shore, they were very clumsy.

02:15And so they couldn't really escape.