- 8 months ago
From giant sea monsters to recently vanished species, these incredible creatures once roamed our planet! Join us as we count down our picks for the most fascinating extinct animals. Our list includes the Woolly Mammoth, Megalodon, Dodo, Titanoboa, Saber-Toothed Cat, and many more remarkable creatures that have disappeared forever!
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00:00Now we have the skeleton of the dodo, we can tell so much more about the bird and how it may have appeared in life.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for some of the most incredible creatures from across the ages that once roamed the Earth.
00:12For this list, we're avoiding dinosaurs or archaic humans, and focusing on lesser-known prehistoric giants and recently vanished species whose loss still stings.
00:21If the bear got in one good swipe and really debilitated one of the saber-toothed cats, they would probably retreat.
00:30Number 50. The Zanzibar Leopard
00:32It's gonna make just the most irresistible lure to a leopard. Nobody's ever made a meat tree before, this is shenanigans.
00:39Unlike extinctions caused by habitat loss or hunting, the Zanzibar leopard's disappearance is shrouded in superstition.
00:46Believing the leopards were maintained by witches, local communities in the Zanzibar archipelago of Tanzania led widespread extermination campaigns.
00:54To make matters worse, the campaigns were also encouraged by the Tanzanian government.
00:58By the 1990s, the species was considered extinct, though occasional unconfirmed sightings continue to spark debate.
01:06In 2018, Animal Planet even released footage claiming it captured a sighting of the leopard.
01:11Experts have remained skeptical. Whether truly gone or not, the Zanzibar leopard is a cautionary tale of how superstitious fear can doom even apex predators.
01:20Number 49. The Splendid Poison Frog
01:33Famous for its vivid red and black hue, this resident of Panama's western Cordillera Central is unfortunately no more.
01:39A more recent extinction, the Splendid Poison Frog was last recorded in 1992 and officially declared extinct in 2020.
01:48This amphibian's passing has largely been attributed to the deadly chytrid fungus outbreak of 1996.
01:53The virus wiped out much of the amphibian population.
01:56Deforestation and loss of habitat have also played a role.
01:59Once a prized pet for collectors, scientists believe it is possible that a few still survive in captivity, but none exist in zoos or conservation facilities.
02:08The story of the Splendid Poison Frog reveals how even vibrant, seemingly abundant species can disappear quickly when faced with disease and environmental disruption.
02:17Number 48. The Japanese Sea Lion
02:20A close relative of the California Sea Lion living in distant seas, the Japanese Sea Lion was once a familiar sight in the Sea of Japan.
02:27Breeding on sandy beaches, Japanese Sea Lions were a pivotal part of local ecosystems.
02:32Unfortunately, the species fell prey to commercial hunting in the early 20th century.
02:36What followed was a rapid decline in their population.
02:40By the 1970s, the species was considered extinct.
02:43What makes the story of the Japanese Sea Lion even more tragic is the reality that they were only recognized as a distinct species in 2003.
02:51Several decades after their disappearance, their story underscores how exploitation, combined with delayed scientific recognition,
02:58can combine to erase a species before conservation efforts are even considered.
03:03Number 47. The Sicilian Wolf
03:05Seen as a threat to livestock, this paler and smaller relative of the Gray Wolf was relentlessly hunted and killed.
03:12The existence of human settlements and growing farmer communities also meant shifting land use.
03:17This reduced the abundance of prey for the wolf.
03:19The species eventually went extinct in the 1920s and was forgotten for decades.
03:24In 2018, a study confirmed the Sicilian wolf to be a distinct subspecies of the Gray Wolf through DNA and skeletal analysis.
03:32Although gone, the discovery of the wolf's family tree emphasized how humanity has been the root cause behind the erasure of nature's biodiversity
03:40and the precious knowledge we lose in the process.
03:43Number 46. The Caribbean Monk Seal
03:45Nicknamed the Sea Wolf of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, this mammal was first recorded by Europeans in 1494.
03:53An eight-foot-long pinniped, the Caribbean Monk Seal lived a simple life that alternated between resting, birthing, and nursing pups on beaches.
04:01Their peaceful lifestyle unfortunately made them vulnerable and easy prey.
04:05A combination of hunting for oil and meat and fishing sealed the fate of the seals.
04:10The last confirmed sighting was in 1952.
04:13In 2008, they were officially declared extinct.
04:16Tragically, the Caribbean Monk Seal is the only pinniped species to be driven to extinction by human activity, so far.
04:23This is one extinction that is a sobering milestone in maritime history.
04:27After a few deep breaths, the seal dives down again to continue its afternoon siesta.
04:35Number 45. The Pernambuco Pygmy Owl
04:38Owls can be difficult to spot. It's even harder when you're among the smallest of your family.
04:43The Pernambuco Pygmy Owl is an elusive bird that has rarely been observed.
04:47Not seen since 2001, the owl has endured its share of widespread habitat loss and forest fragmentation
04:53caused by agriculture and urban expansion in its native habitat of northeastern Brazil.
04:58The International Union for Conservation of Nature uplisted the owl's status to extinct in 2018.
05:04The loss of this tiny predator suggests deeper ecological imbalances in Brazil's forests.
05:09The Pernambuco Pygmy Owl is a reminder that even smaller, lesser-known species play crucial roles in their ecosystems.
05:15For the next five months, he will bring a swift and silent death to countless creatures of the Big Bend Knight.
05:24Number 44. Dimetrodon
05:26This is an awe-inspiring reptile. Did you know Dimetrodon is more closely related to us than dinosaurs?
05:34It's a synapsid. Synapsid reptiles evolved into mammals just like we are.
05:41Arriving 40 million years before the first dinosaurs, Dimetrodons were a group of reptile-like four-limbed vertebrates.
05:48Roaming the Earth during the Permian Period, this animal's most striking feature was a massive sail-like structure on its back,
05:54likely used for temperature regulation or intimidation.
05:58Fossils suggest that the Dimetrodon grew up to 15 feet long.
06:01While the exact reasons behind its extinction are not known,
06:04broader ecological changes during the Permian Period, including climate shifts and habitat changes,
06:10are believed to have contributed to its demise.
06:12The Dimetrodon is an example of the strange and fascinating creatures that roamed the planet prior to the dinosaurs.
06:18They're part of a very special group of creatures called mammal-like reptiles.
06:23It's down to them that we have control over our body temperature today.
06:27Number 43. Bramble Cay Melomies
06:33Native to a tiny coral island in Australia's Torres Strait was a small rodent with a grim distinction.
06:39The Bramble Cay Melomies was declared extinct in 2019.
06:43The declaration also made it the first documented mammal extinction caused by human-driven climate change.
06:49Rising sea levels, alongside increasingly intense storm surges,
06:53destroyed the little critter's limited habitat on the island and drowned its food sources.
06:57The last confirmed sighting of the rodent was in 2009.
07:00Despite the efforts of conservationists,
07:02no more individuals of the species were found in later surveys.
07:06Though small and obscure,
07:07the Bramble Cay Melomies shows that even tiny, remote creatures
07:11are not safe from the far-reaching impacts of climate change.
07:14Number 42. Ammonites
07:16Ammonites were extraordinarily successful animals
07:19that existed twice as long as the dinosaurs.
07:23Thriving for more than 300 million years,
07:26Ammonites were a collection of marine mollusk species that were related to modern squids and octopuses.
07:31Ranging in size from just a few inches to more than two meters across,
07:35Ammonite fossils are among the most common and beautiful in the world.
07:39The last species vanished around 66 million years ago,
07:42during the same mass extinction that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs.
07:45Ammonites did have one critical weakness compared to other cephalopods.
07:51They appear to have been constrained to laying their eggs in fairly shallow water.
07:58Today, their coiled shells remain iconic symbols of prehistoric oceans,
08:02and are often used by geologists to date rock layers.
08:06Capturing the imagination of scientists and collectors alike,
08:09the Ammonites remind us of the fragility of even long-dominant lifeforms.
08:13How about that?
08:16Wow!
08:19What a find!
08:20Number 41. The Megalania
08:22Now this species was around about a million and a half to 50,000 years ago.
08:27It's closely related to a lot of our monitor lizards now.
08:31Once Australia's top terrestrial predator,
08:33This giant monitor lizard may have reached over 20 feet long,
08:37rivaling the Komodo dragon in its build, but also far more imposing.
08:41The Megalania probably had a venomous bite,
08:43and preyed on large animals, possibly even humans.
08:46Aboriginal dreamtime stories of giant serpents
08:49may have been inspired by encounters with this apex predator.
08:52The scuffle and the broken eggs have summoned Megalania.
08:57He's an awesome sight.
08:58Revealed in full, in the light of day,
09:02the people's darkest fears are confirmed.
09:05In fact, hunting by ancient Australians
09:07may have contributed to the lizard's extinction around 50,000 years ago,
09:11leaving behind a chilling legacy.
09:13Megalania is one other addition to the long list of massive reptiles
09:16that once stalked the planet alongside our ancestors.
09:20The two males size each other up.
09:22Neither backs down.
09:32Number 40.
09:33The Pinta Giant Tortoise
09:34Lonesome George got his name from the fact that he is lonesome.
09:38The hope was originally that we might find a female for him
09:41and be able to preserve the species through reproducing them in captivity.
09:45But sadly, George has been lonesome ever since he was first discovered.
09:48Being the last known individual of a species is a grim existence.
09:53No one knew this better than Lonesome George,
09:55the last of the Pinta Giant Tortoise species of the Galapagos Islands.
09:59George lived in captivity until his death in 2012,
10:02becoming a global symbol of conservation.
10:05He is arguably the rarest animal in the world.
10:11Certainly there can be none rarer,
10:14for he is the last of his kind.
10:17Once abundant, this giant tortoise species became a food source for whalers in the 19th century
10:22while invasive goats destroyed their habitat.
10:24Following George's death, researchers discovered hybrids on nearby islands.
10:29Unfortunately, the pure line of the species was lost forever.
10:32The story of the Pinta Giant Tortoise highlights the folly of human-motivated destruction.
10:37At the same time, George's life impresses the need for
10:39conservational efforts to prevent other creatures from sharing the same fate.
10:43Since 1972, the Darwin Center has been trying to save his subspecies
10:48by encouraging him to mate.
10:50But poor old Lonesome George has always resisted.
10:53Number 39. Antilodonts
10:55The back molars were ideal for grinding vegetation.
10:59But it's hard to imagine that the antilodonts would have needed such lethal canines and incisors
11:04just to grab plants.
11:06Nicknamed Hell Pigs, the antilodonts had a reputation to maintain,
11:10and as fearsome scavengers and predators.
11:13These massive, omnivorous mammals lived around 15 to 38 million years ago.
11:18While they were pig-like in appearance, they were more closely related to hippos and whales.
11:23Antilodont had the tools to take any carcass it wanted.
11:26I can't think of any other carnivore that might stand up to it.
11:35With huge skulls and bone-crushing teeth,
11:38antilodonts could grow up to the size of a horse.
11:40Fossil evidence suggests that they dominated prehistoric ecosystems,
11:44even competing with early carnivores and shaping the food chain.
11:47Coupled with their nightmarish appearance and aggressive behavior,
11:51these Hell Pigs rank among the most terrifying prehistoric mammals,
11:54and evolution's most monstrous experiments.
11:57A second male antilodont arrives at the waterhole.
12:01During the mating season, these huge scavengers get very aggressive towards each other
12:05as they try to establish who is top hog.
12:08Number 38, the Procoptodon.
12:10One of the biggest of all of the extinct kangaroos was Procoptodon goliath.
12:15Standing over two meters tall and weighing up to 240 kilograms,
12:19this was an enormous beast moving through the Australian landscape.
12:23Standing close to nine feet tall and weighing up to 500 pounds,
12:27the Procoptodon was one kangaroo you did not want to pick a fight with.
12:31Alive during the Ice Age in Australia, the Procoptodon was unlike the modern kangaroo.
12:35It had a flat face and forward-facing eyes, giving it almost an uncanny appearance.
12:40Thankfully, this kangaroo did not have any beef with humanity.
12:43It was around about the size of a hippopotamus, and we think they lived in herds.
12:47So it would have looked maybe something like the plains of Africa,
12:51maybe not quite so many animals, but really pretty unique landscape.
12:55It largely adapted to browsing shrubs and thrived in arid landscapes.
13:00However, it disappeared around 45,000 years ago.
13:03Scientists are mixed on the reason for the species' extinction,
13:06with some blaming climate change and others pointing the finger at hunting pressure from humans.
13:10It's a pity to think that they're all gone, and it raises the question, what caused them to disappear?
13:18Number 37. The Labrador Duck
13:20The Labrador duck has become the first species of bird endemic to North America,
13:24driven to extinction, with the last recorded specimen cited over 100 years ago in Long Island.
13:30While this waterfowl species reportedly didn't taste good or fetch a high price for hunters,
13:35that didn't save it from allegedly going the way of the dodo in the 1870s.
13:39Though some theorize the over-harvesting of its eggs played a role,
13:43other reports claim the Labrador duck was already on the way out when European settlers arrived in their habitat.
13:48As a result, the species thinned rapidly, leaving little scientific evidence behind a study.
13:53If you really want to see a Labrador duck, you aren't completely out of luck though.
13:57Specimens are stored at more than 50 museums around the world.
14:01Individuals who have owned one of the stuffed birds have been subject to the inexplicable curse of the Labrador duck,
14:08causing the owner various misfortunes or to die under mysterious circumstances.
14:13Number 36. The Queen of Sheba's Gazelle
14:16This antelope was native to the Arabian Peninsula, where it once roamed the lands of Yemen.
14:21Identified by its striking and distinctive black and white markings,
14:24the species became extinct in the 1950s.
14:27In 1985, a photograph of gazelles in a private collection from a wildlife farm in Qatar
14:32drew claims that the species may have survived, although no confirmation has been made since.
14:37While the cause of extinction of the Queen of Sheba's gazelle is still uncertain,
14:41researchers have identified probable factors in over-hunting and loss of habitat.
14:46The gazelle's disappearance from the Yemeni hills and mountainsides
14:48is now seen as symbolic of Middle Eastern species loss.
14:52Number 35. The Dutch Alcon Blue
14:55Alcon Blue butterflies begin their courtship in June and July.
15:00They're surely one of the lovely sights of a European summer,
15:04as they flutter and flirt among the flowers of the meadow.
15:07Admittedly, information on this blue butterfly subspecies is hard to come by.
15:12But that is not because it went extinct a long time ago.
15:15No, the Dutch Alcon Blue was apparently flying as recently as the 1970s.
15:20However, unless you lived in two very specific parts of the Netherlands,
15:24you never got a glimpse of them.
15:26The window wasn't open for very long either.
15:28One population fell off the map in 1975 and the next in 1979.
15:33There hasn't been a verified sighting of the Dutch Alcon Blue since,
15:36leaving scientists to conclude it's gone for good.
15:39When we undertake this sort of work, it's basically the only way to do it.
15:43But you would not be able to get a camera into a meadow underground
15:47and see the wonderful things that I think I've been looking at anyway.
15:52Number 34. The Eurypterid
15:54This is just sort of an impression of the Eurypterid.
15:57And you can see it's got this tail and kind of the body.
16:02And it kind of almost looks like a lobster.
16:04Scorpions today are exclusively a feature of deserts.
16:07But before vertebrates ruled the seas,
16:10giant scorpions known as Eurypterids dominated ancient oceans.
16:13Nicknamed sea scorpions, these bugs grew up to 8 feet long.
16:17Much like today's scorpions, Eurypterids were also armed with claws.
16:21Giant sea scorpions, called Eurypterids,
16:24routinely challenged the nautiloids for the best feeding grounds.
16:27They were apex predators during the Paleozoic era,
16:30and hunted fish and other invertebrates.
16:32Thankfully, they went extinct around 252 million years ago during the Permian extinction,
16:38caused by massive volcanic eruptions that reduced oxygen levels and acidified the oceans.
16:43Among the most terrifying of predators in Earth's early history,
16:47the ancient Eurypterids were part of an eerie world.
16:50This is actually fossilized in shale, I believe,
16:53which is basically mud that over time, after drying and then being compressed,
16:58turns into rock and can preserve really cool fossils like the Eurypterid.
17:03Number 33, the Meganeuropsis.
17:05Dragonflies today are beautiful and harmless.
17:08Their ancient relatives were something else altogether.
17:11Meganeuropsis, the largest insect ever known,
17:14had a wingspan of over 2.5 feet.
17:17Alive nearly 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous period,
17:21this giant griffonfly thrived in an atmosphere with higher oxygen levels.
17:24This allowed insects to grow to enormous sizes.
17:28Meganeuropsis was an aerial predator.
17:40It hunted smaller insects and possibly even amphibians,
17:43though no direct evidence has been found.
17:45Imagine walking down the road and instead of a crow buzzing through the air,
17:49you saw a dragonfly of the same size.
17:51That was Meganeuropsis.
17:53Long extinct, fossils of its massive wings now remain
17:56as a relic of a time when the skies were dominated by giant insects.
18:01It's a dragonfly.
18:02A dragonfly the size of an eagle.
18:05Number 32, the Sumatran Rhino.
18:07In 1989, Sumatran rhinos were part of a rescue program.
18:12Six leading American zoos from San Diego to the Bronx
18:15brought a pair in each to try to breed them and save them and get them back into the wild,
18:20like it had been successful with the California condor.
18:22Though not technically extinct, with fewer than 80 individuals remaining,
18:27the Sumatran rhino is treading the margins of survival.
18:30This rhinoceros species is native to Indonesia.
18:33It is the smallest and hairiest of all living rhinos.
18:36Habitat loss, poaching, and low reproduction rates have pushed the species to the brink.
18:40Declared extinct in Malaysia in 2019,
18:43the remaining members of the species hang on by a thread in fragmented groups in Sumatra and Borneo.
18:48In order to mimic conditions in the wild as closely as possible and keep them safe from poachers,
18:54the sanctuary decided to provide each rhino with a large fenced-off area of natural rainforest habitat in which to wander.
19:02Conservationists are locked in a race with time to save the species through captive breeding programs.
19:07Unfortunately, they found limited success.
19:09As of now, the Sumatran rhino is poised to become another heartbreaking entry on the list of fully extinct species.
19:15After her arrival, Ratu was paired with a male called Andalus.
19:23Hopes for the future of the species now rested on this pair.
19:27Number 31. Quetzalcoatlus
19:29Often mistaken for a dinosaur, this pterosaur was the largest flying animal ever discovered.
19:37Soaring through the skies of the late Cretaceous period,
19:40Quetzalcoatlus' wingspans reached up to 36 feet.
19:43This is the size of a small airplane.
19:46Despite its size, it was a skilled flyer and stalked prey on land, much like a stork.
19:56To this day, this prehistoric giant continues to capture the public's imagination.
20:01Named after the Aztec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl,
20:04this flying reptile disappeared with the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
20:08Its fossils are indicative of an epoch in Earth's history where animals in flight took many astonishing forms.
20:14Though long extinct, Quetzalcoatlus now stands as one of nature's most jaw-dropping creations.
20:19Number 30. Barbary Lion
20:28The disappearance of the Atlas lion in the wild was caused by the degradation of its natural habitat.
20:34It used to eat stags, deer, and other mammals that also disappeared.
20:38Also known as the Atlas lion,
20:39this animal was once an inhabitant of the deserts and mountains of Morocco,
20:43Algeria, Tunisia, and other North African countries.
20:46Two were even kept in the Tower of London in the Middle Ages.
20:50However, by the mid-1800s,
20:52their numbers rapidly declined as firearms and bounties on the majestic creatures increased.
20:57According to witnesses,
20:58the last sighting of the species was in 1956 near a forest in Algeria.
21:03This forest was destroyed during the French-Algerian War in 1958,
21:07seemingly finishing the lion's existence in the wild.
21:10But not all hope is lost.
21:12Some lions kept in zoos have shown similar DNA to the Barbary,
21:15and there are claims some Barbary lions are living in the Belfast Zoo.
21:20Here we have the Moroccan royal lions,
21:23which is the animals descended from the royal palace collection of the king of Morocco.
21:27Number 29. Golden Toad
21:29North of Monteverde, Costa Rica,
21:31is the forest now known as the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve.
21:35This high-altitude area was once home to an abundance of golden toads.
21:39While the males only came in orange,
21:41the females had a variety of stunning colors.
21:43But as time went on,
21:45fewer and fewer of them were seen,
21:47with the last known sighting of a golden toad recorded in 1989.
21:51The extinction of the golden toad is disturbing because it was swift,
21:56mysterious,
21:57and right in the middle of a protected forest.
22:00In 2004,
22:01the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the species as extinct.
22:05Some scientists believe climate change caused excessive droughts in the forest,
22:10pushing their demise.
22:11However, this is disputed by other researchers,
22:14who speculate disease played a role.
22:16In 2004,
22:17Kitchard was found at the site,
22:19and mortality in adult frogs spiked.
22:21Number 28. Passenger Pigeon
22:23Birds still go extinct,
22:25but the loss of the passenger pigeon made people take notice.
22:29For centuries,
22:30Native Americans hunted the passenger pigeon,
22:32or wild pigeon,
22:33with no issue.
22:34But once Europeans arrived,
22:36it all went downhill for the bird species.
22:38Some scientists estimate that the pigeon was the most populous species in the world,
22:43with over 3 billion of them in the early 1800s.
22:46Yet, due to overhunting and the destruction of their habitat,
22:49the bird's numbers fell rapidly.
22:51In 1900,
22:53the last confirmed wild passenger pigeon was hunted.
22:56A hunter could go and collect thousands at a time without,
22:59you know,
23:00really having to try that hard.
23:01One of the last captive pigeons was Martha.
23:04She was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo in 1902.
23:08Sadly, in 1914,
23:10Martha passed away,
23:11and with her,
23:12the passenger pigeon species went extinct.
23:14This is Martha.
23:16For a pigeon fan like Lucia,
23:18this is like seeing a movie star,
23:20the very last passenger pigeon.
23:23Number 27.
23:24Titanoboa
23:25This mighty predator dominated and disappeared.
23:30Today,
23:30the largest snake species in the world is the green anaconda,
23:34which can be up to 500 pounds and 29 feet long.
23:38But,
23:38back in the middle to late Paleocene epoch about 60 million years ago,
23:42the anaconda had nothing on the titanoboa.
23:45This species is believed to have weighed up to 2,500 pounds
23:49and have a length of up to 47 feet.
23:52Titanoboa weighed as much as 20 people.
23:55Movement on land was a constant fight with gravity.
23:59The titanoboa was first discovered in Colombia in 2002,
24:02where its remains were at first incorrectly identified as crocodile bones.
24:07It probably lived throughout South America in rainforests and near freshwater,
24:11as its main prey appeared to be fish.
24:14Some think that ancient climate change may have caused the demise of the titanoboa.
24:18Number 26.
24:19Japanese Wolf
24:20For centuries,
24:21the Japanese wolf or Honshu wolf was a fixture in Japanese folklore and in the wild.
24:27Shorter than typical wolves,
24:29they could be found all over the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
24:33Yet by the 1700s,
24:35rabies and other such viruses were introduced to Japan
24:37and rapidly spread through the wolf population.
24:40This sparked mass hunting of the species,
24:43causing their numbers to fall drastically.
24:45The wolf once ran wild across Japan,
24:48but its population was decimated by disease,
24:51and humans hunted down the last of the animal in the name of protecting livestock.
24:55The loss of their habitats didn't help.
24:57In 1905,
24:59the last Japanese wolf was killed.
25:01While over the years,
25:02there have been reports of several sightings of them in the region,
25:06nothing has been confirmed,
25:07and the species is believed to be extinct.
25:09Yagi heads a non-profit dedicated to the search,
25:12and hopes one day to secure the backing of a wealthy foundation or large media organization
25:17to expand the hunt for the wolf.
25:19In 2021,
25:21scientists found the species was the closest ancestor to modern dogs.
25:25Number 25.
25:26Archelon
25:27At around four and a half meters long and weighing more than two metric tons,
25:31Archelon, as it's known,
25:32was more than twice the size of the largest sea turtle today,
25:35the leatherback.
25:36In the modern day,
25:37the leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle species,
25:40at up to nearly 6 feet and 1,100 pounds.
25:43But back in the late Cretaceous epoch around 66 to 100 million years ago,
25:48the heavyweight monarch was its ancestor, the Archelon.
25:51It could grow up to 15 feet in length and weigh up to 7,000 pounds.
25:56The Archelon's remains were first discovered in the late 1800s in South Dakota.
26:00Interestingly,
26:01the species had a prominent beak,
26:03similar to modern eagles.
26:04It's speculated that the changing positions of the seas
26:07and the introduction of new predator species led to the demise of the Archelon.
26:12And some of the earliest protostegids had bodies like Archelons,
26:15big, with lightweight shells,
26:16which may have let them travel long distances and spread out around the world.
26:20Number 24.
26:21Hast's eagle
26:22Hast's eagles were the largest eagles that we know of in the entire world.
26:27They had a wingspan up to 2.6 meters wide,
26:31which is pretty massive.
26:32This massive bird called the South Island of New Zealand home for centuries.
26:37Weighing up to 33 pounds,
26:39it was the largest eagle that ever lived.
26:41With a size like that,
26:43it needed large prey to feed on with its vulture-like head.
26:46And the eagle had that with the moa,
26:48a flightless bird.
26:49Yet when the Maori people settled on the island around 1300,
26:53that all changed.
26:54The humans hunted the moa,
26:56taking the eagle's primary food source away.
26:58At the species' population height,
27:01it was estimated there were up to 4,500 breeding pairs.
27:04By the year 1400,
27:06the Hast's eagle was extinct.
27:08People are going to be really surprised by how enormous it is.
27:12And our exhibitions are going to show just how spectacular they were.
27:16Number 23.
27:18Rocky Mountain Locust
27:19In 1874,
27:21the U.S. and Canada could do nothing
27:23as a swarm of trillions of Rocky Mountain locusts
27:26covering 2 million square miles swept through the Great Plains.
27:29They hit 60 fields in the county.
27:32You've seen anything like this before?
27:34The incredible horde caused millions of dollars of damage to crops and property.
27:39The following year,
27:40the insects returned,
27:41this time only covering around 198,000 square miles
27:45as they attacked the western United States.
27:48But by 1902,
27:49the species seemingly vanished
27:51as the last reported sighting of the creature was confirmed.
27:54It's a locust,
27:56mandibles,
27:57wings,
27:58thorax spread.
28:00God, the size of it is massive.
28:02Today,
28:02many specimens can be found entombed within the Grasshopper Glacier in Montana.
28:07Destruction of their habitat
28:08and widespread killing of the insects to protect crops
28:11likely led to their demise.
28:13Number 22.
28:15Stellar Sea Cow
28:16They were also covered by thick skin
28:18coated with a hardened protective substance.
28:22Named after the famed naturalist and explorer Georg Wilhelm Stellar,
28:26the Stellar Sea Cow called the Bering Sea
28:28around the Commander Islands its home.
28:30Feasting on mainly kelp,
28:32the Cyrenian could grow up to 30 feet
28:34and weigh up to 10 tons.
28:36Their front legs did not have fingers or nails.
28:38Instead,
28:39they ended in stubs
28:40covered with bristles and hardened skin.
28:43While it's theorized
28:44the species' population
28:45was already dwindling due to a changing climate,
28:48Europeans sped up the process dramatically.
28:51Due to the creature's slow movement
28:52and plentiful blubber,
28:54the sea cow was wiped from existence
28:55thanks to hunting within 27 years
28:58of Stellar describing them in 1747.
29:01It's believed their removal badly damaged the ecosystem,
29:04allowing kelp forests to grow out of control,
29:06which in turn blocks sunlight from reaching deeper waters.
29:12Trilobites were survivors.
29:15The history of these creatures shows that they practically invented survival.
29:18During the Cambrian period around 570 million years ago,
29:22trilobites first appeared in the ecosystem,
29:25as we can see from their fossils found all over the world.
29:28This class of arthropods filled the oceans for millennia,
29:31since their mineralized exoskeletons protected them from predators and two mass extinctions.
29:36However,
29:37as the years went on,
29:38their numbers declined as the climate rapidly shifted,
29:41causing several orders to vanish.
29:43By the Devonian period around 419 million years ago,
29:47only one order survived.
29:49Once another mass extinction hit during the Permian period around 252 million years ago,
29:54the last order was gone,
29:56ending the creature's long reign.
29:57So the question to ask about trilobites might not be why they went extinct,
30:02but how they managed to endure for so long.
30:05Number 20.
30:06Kauai'o'o
30:07This is a song recording of a male o'o singing on Kauai.
30:12On this beautiful Hawaiian island lived the Kauai'o'o.
30:16Before European settlers came to the island,
30:18the small bird's population was abundant.
30:20But as humans demolished their habitat and introduced all kinds of non-native predators and diseases,
30:26the Kauai'o'o's numbers dropped.
30:28This turmoil badly affected other species,
30:31leaving the Kauai'o'o as the last bird standing in the Mohoidae family.
30:35However,
30:36after several severe storms struck the island,
30:38the species completely disappeared.
30:41The last confirmed sighting of the Kauai'o'o was in 1985,
30:44while the final recording of its song was in 1987.
30:47In 2023, the species was officially declared extinct.
30:53He is the last male of a species.
30:56Singing for a female will never come.
31:00Number 19.
31:01Direwolf
31:02There are no direwolves south of the wall.
31:05Now there are five.
31:06No, not direwolves.
31:09Direwolf.
31:10Two words, not one.
31:11When it's one word,
31:12it's a fictional fantasy race that can grow to a massive size.
31:15But we're talking about the other,
31:17which, although bigger than grey wolves or another extinct subspecies,
31:21the Newfoundland wolf,
31:22wasn't quite that huge.
31:24Direwolves inhabited China and North America
31:26as recently as 9,500 years ago.
31:30Of particular note is their bite force,
31:32which was the strongest of any known canis species.
31:35Because of this,
31:36it's believed that they specialized in hunting large prey,
31:39such as the once abundant megafauna that lived in North America.
31:42However, with the death of their prey,
31:45it's theorized that the direwolf followed its food sources into extinction.
31:49Was the direwolf unable to satisfy its savage hunger?
31:52Or did some overwhelming force drive it into oblivion?
31:56Number 18.
31:57Quagga
31:57The Quagga breeding project is an attempt to use selective breeding
32:04to breed animals that are as similar as possible in type
32:08to the original Quaggas which roamed in the Western Cape.
32:12Despite its adorable name,
32:14this subspecies of zebra is no more.
32:16Native to South Africa,
32:18the Quagga became victim to the hunting of early Dutch settlers
32:20and later Afrikaners to provide meat and skins.
32:23Disappearing mostly in the 1850s,
32:26the wild Quagga became officially extinct a few decades later,
32:29though some captured ones could be found in zoos.
32:32On August 12, 1883,
32:34the very last captive specimen died,
32:37writing the final entry into the lifespan of this impressive species.
32:40We are reviving an extinct species of Quagga,
32:45and that is for the benefit of our future generations.
32:48Number 17.
32:49Elephant Bird
32:50Many of the mounted specimens have been put together
32:53with a number of bones from different specimens.
32:57And if you get overenthusiastic,
32:59maybe it's quite possible that you stick in one or two extra neck bones.
33:04Native to Madagascar,
33:05these ostrich lookalikes are believed to have come to an end
33:08in the 17th or 18th century.
33:10While it's not fully known how the birds died out,
33:13it's believed that human activity is the number one suspect.
33:16Initially widespread across all areas of the island,
33:19there's evidence of their homes being demolished,
33:21while the birds themselves were hunted,
33:23which led to their untimely demise.
33:26Fossilized eggs of the species have remained,
33:28and have become an increasingly priceless commodity across museums to this day.
33:33Although there were several factors threatening the bird's survival,
33:37it could have been people eating the eggs who dealt the species its final blow.
33:41Number 16.
33:42Bear Dog
33:43Look, charging right at us with huge teeth.
33:46It's a bear.
33:47It's a dog.
33:48It's Amphysion.
33:50Popularly known as a bear dog,
33:52Amphysion had features like both carnivorous mammals.
33:55And it was just one of a very diverse group of ancient meat eaters
33:58that ruled the northern hemisphere for over 30 million years.
34:01Although it had a tail and teeth like a wolf or dog,
34:04its huge body, which could weigh over half a ton,
34:07was more comparable to a bear's.
34:09Size matters, and size can dictate a vicious cycle that ends in species extinction.
34:16The bigger you are, the more food you need.
34:18And of course, their mammals will have a very high metabolic rate.
34:21Thought to have originated in North America,
34:23bear dogs spread out over Asia, Europe, and Africa too.
34:26Although they lived between 16 and 2 million years ago,
34:30the rise of other, swifter mammal carnivores is theorized to have forced them into decline.
34:36Number 15.
34:37Great Auk
34:37A flightless water bird,
34:39the Great Auk once roamed the waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean,
34:43ranging from Europe to North America.
34:45Generally a little under 3 feet tall,
34:47and featuring a hooked beak and webbed feet,
34:49Great Auk's were strong swimmers,
34:51but Auk whirred on land.
34:53A mere 250 years ago,
34:55you could see thousands of them in vast colonies.
35:00Now, they're all gone.
35:03Tragically, the Great Auk was hunted to extinction by humans,
35:06with cultures all over the Atlantic killing it for its meat,
35:09and especially its down, which was in high demand.
35:12The last two confirmed Great Auk's were killed on an island near Iceland in 1844.
35:18Still, its legacy would live on in other ways,
35:20such as its scientific name,
35:22Pinguinus impenus, which inspired the naming of penguins, given their resemblance.
35:27Conservationists say the story of its extermination should act as a warning.
35:31Number 14.
35:32Short-Faced Bear
35:33Although we considered discussing another extinct bear species,
35:37the Atlas Bear of Africa,
35:38we're electing to discuss a less recent extinct bear.
35:41Short-faced bears were native to North America,
35:44and came in two species,
35:46the lesser short-faced bear,
35:47and the greater short-faced bear.
35:49It's huge.
35:51Weighing 900 kilos.
35:543.4 meters tall on two legs.
35:59It could reach higher than a basketball hoop.
36:02True to their name,
36:03both species had shorter snouts than most bears.
36:06However, while the lesser species was comparable in size to modern bears,
36:10the greater short-faced bear was a massive six feet tall at the shoulder.
36:14It could look a tall human in the eye.
36:16It was possibly the largest terrestrial mammalian predator to ever live,
36:21and some weighed more than a ton.
36:24They became extinct around 11,000 years ago,
36:26possibly due to global cooling.
36:29As the Earth's new rulers,
36:31we just might learn something from this vanished and mighty predecessor.
36:36Number 13.
36:37Aurochs
36:37The aurochs was a type of wild cattle,
36:40and is the ancestor of the domestic cattle common today.
36:43Compared to modern cattle,
36:45they had longer legs and larger heads,
36:48no doubt to support the weight of their larger horns.
36:50Not much smaller than an elephant.
36:53Extraordinary in size and strength.
36:56Sparing neither man nor wild beasts.
37:00Once found throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa,
37:02the aurochs gradually died out due to excessive hunting,
37:05encroachment by humans,
37:07as well as diseases spread from regular cattle.
37:10Although they went extinct in 1627,
37:12their genes survive in domesticated cattle,
37:15and a number of attempts have been made to breed the aurochs,
37:18or something like it,
37:19back into existence.
37:20My brother and I now had to do,
37:23was to unite in a single animal,
37:25all those characteristics of the wild aurochs,
37:28that are now found spread between different breeds of tame cattle.
37:32Number 12.
37:33Baiji
37:33Commonly referred to as the Chinese River Dolphin,
37:37the majestic creature could only be found in the Yangtze River
37:40in the Asian country where it got its name.
37:42Affectionately nicknamed the Goddess of the Yangtze,
37:45the Baiji became victim to the growing advances
37:47and industrialization of modern China
37:49that led to massive water pollution.
37:51By the end of the 20th century,
37:53there were possibly only 13 wild dolphins left in the Yangtze.
37:55Repeated efforts were made to conserve the species,
37:59but an expedition in 2006
38:00failed to discover any remaining Baiji in the river.
38:03The last living Baiji, known as Chi-Chi, died in 2002.
38:08For the international conservation community,
38:10it really needs to act as a wake-up call
38:12that we need to be far more efficient
38:13and far more quick to react to conservation crises in the future.
38:17Number 11.
38:18Caspian Tiger
38:19While we consider discussing the also-extinct subspecies of tiger
38:23from Bali and Java,
38:24we're focusing on the Caspian tiger.
38:26As its name implies,
38:27they were native to areas near the Caspian Sea and beyond,
38:30being found as far west as Turkey and as far east as West China.
38:35Of the tiger subspecies,
38:37the Caspian tiger was most closely related to the Siberian tiger,
38:40although its coats tended to be brighter-colored.
38:43The cause of its extinction was naturally humans hunting it,
38:47although our killing of their food supply,
38:49like wild boar,
38:50didn't make it any easier for them to survive.
38:53The Caspian tiger was declared extinct in 2003.
38:57Number 10.
38:57Ground Sloth
38:58What was once a unique beast that thrived during the Ice Age periods
39:10is now known for associating with a dim-witted animated film character.
39:14Woo-hoo!
39:15We did it!
39:16We did it!
39:18We did it!
39:19Ah!
39:20Upon their extinction over 10,000 years ago,
39:23it's believed to be no coincidence that the deaths of the ground sloth
39:26are linked to humanity's entry into the North American regions,
39:30though climate change was also a factor.
39:32The sloth's best defense was to inflict damage with its long, sharp claws.
39:37With large and dangerous-looking claws,
39:38speculation remains to this day about whether this variation of sloth
39:42only used them to collect bark from trees,
39:44though it's most likely that these mammals were herbivores.
39:48Although slow-moving,
39:50its massive size was protection against smaller predators,
39:53like the saber-toothed cat.
39:55Number 9.
39:56Western Black Rhino
39:57Several subspecies of black rhinos have gone extinct in recent history,
40:01and the most recent is the Western Black Rhinoceros.
40:04Once found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic,
40:09the Western Black Rhinos were hunted to extinction,
40:12both in defense of human population centers
40:14and for sport and folk medicine remedies.
40:18Humans are the adult rhino's only predator in the wild.
40:22Black rhinos are killed in Africa for their valuable horns,
40:25which are sold as decorations, medicinal cures, and aphrodisiacs.
40:30Despite conservation efforts,
40:31the Western Black Rhino was declared extinct in 2011,
40:35with the final known specimen dying in 2006.
40:38Tragically, the Western Black was part of an overall decline of black rhinos in general,
40:43with a staggering 96% of all subspecies being killed between 1970 and 1992,
40:49a mere 22 years later.
40:51It's such an iconic species.
40:53If we can't save the rhino,
40:56how on earth are we going to save species that are of much less public interest?
40:59Number 8.
41:00Moa
41:01The Moa
41:02Some of the biggest and most extraordinary birds to have ever walked the Earth.
41:08New Zealand is fairly isolated from the rest of the world,
41:12and this isolation led to the development of some truly strange birds.
41:16Moa were once nine different species of wingless, flightless birds
41:20that inhabited the New Zealand archipelago.
41:23The smallest were still fairly large birds, around the size of a turkey.
41:26The biggest species, though, could reach up to 12 feet tall.
41:31Naturally, when humans first discovered the islands,
41:33the Moa were a readily available and large food source.
41:37Sadly, every species was hunted to extinction within 100 years of humanity's arrival in New Zealand.
41:42Although, unconfirmed sightings persisted for several centuries afterwards.
41:46Number 7.
41:48Eurasian Cave Lion
41:49Slowly, slowly, slowly!
41:52People tend to associate the king of the jungle as a largely African species,
41:56but this extinct Eurasian subspecies may prove otherwise.
42:00Speculated to have become extinct around 10,000 years ago, these beasts were huge.
42:05On average, over seven feet long without the tail, and could weigh 700 pounds.
42:11Massive in size, and a massive tongue twister to say,
42:15as their official name is the Panthera leospelia,
42:18their fates were sealed when settlers made their way into their homes.
42:21And the rest, as they say, is history.
42:24In total darkness, the lion must use its senses of smell and hearing to land a killer blow.
42:32Number 6.
42:33Irish Elk
42:33It has antlers so vast and elaborate, they stretch 12 feet from tip to tip.
42:41They are the crowning glory of the magnificent Irish Elk.
42:46Despite its name, this species of deer was not exclusive to Ireland,
42:50making its way across Eurasia and Northern Africa for thousands of years.
42:54The Irish Elk is known for being the largest species of deer ever found,
42:58as they could have stood at 12 feet with antler height included.
43:02Unable to survive sub-Arctic conditions, which caused a lack of good food,
43:06it's been suggested that the last of these deer may have died out about 11,000 years ago in Ireland,
43:12hence its given name.
43:13Others may have survived the Ice Age through Europe, but were probably hunted down.
43:18The case of the Irish Elk reveals that, faced with a changing world,
43:23two highly evolved a design can actually prove an animal's undoing.
43:28Number 5.
43:29Gigantopithecus
43:30Gigantopithecus is an extinct species of large ape.
43:33Estimating its exact appearance and size has proven difficult,
43:37because only their jaws and teeth have been discovered.
43:40From these remains, it's believed they were herbivores
43:43and weighed somewhere between 400 pounds and over half a ton.
43:46But an even closer look at these teeth has revealed much more than just how big this animal was.
43:52For one thing, scientists have been able to use them to figure out who its closest living relatives are.
43:57Originally thought to have been an ancestor of humans,
43:59Gigantopithecus is now thought to be more closely related to orangutans.
44:04Native to what is now southern China,
44:06Gigantopithecus went extinct around 300,000 years ago,
44:09with changing climate the likely culprit.
44:11Still, there are those who believe Gigantopithecus may be the origin behind legends like the Yeti or Bigfoot.
44:18So who knows if they're all gone or not?
44:20Number 4.
44:21Dodo
44:21Protect the Dodo way of life!
44:25Survival separates the Dodo from the beast!
44:28Most of us have seen the animated movie Ice Age.
44:31You can recall a joke that implied this famous bird died out during that time period,
44:35but this is actually untrue.
44:37The Dodo seemed so bizarre and comical,
44:40that by the 18th century, some scientists doubted it had ever existed at all.
44:45Due to their hunting by Dutch sailors that had arrived on the island of Mauritius,
44:49the flightless bird became extinct.
44:51However, their official extinction was only confirmed in the 19th century,
44:56despite their increasing rarity in the 17th century.
44:58The Dodos are constantly on the lookout for fallen fruit,
45:03pouncing on it before competitors arrive.
45:06Slow and unafraid of humans,
45:08the Dodo was only a little over 3 feet tall and between 25 and 45 pounds,
45:13but achieved contemporary fame by appearing in pop culture,
45:16like Disney's Alice in Wonderland.
45:18And I never, never, ever do a thing about the weather,
45:20but the weather never, ever does a thing for me.
45:23Number 3. Sabertoothed Cat
45:25Sabertooth's power and weaponry were overwhelming,
45:28but suddenly, mysteriously, it became extinct.
45:34Misleadingly known as a Sabertoothed Tiger,
45:36these predators were vastly known far and wide for their curved and massive canine teeth.
45:41Once the teeth are engaged,
45:43those vessels can be sawed by those serrated edges on front or back.
45:47Despite officially having the cat in their name,
45:50they're not closely related to the modern animals,
45:52and were in fact more agile,
45:55choosing to pounce from trees and then attacking with their almost foot-long teeth.
46:00With the Smilodon being the most well-known,
46:02these mammals' vicious nature proved to be their downfall at the end of the last Ice Age,
46:06as most of their chosen prey had either died out
46:09or had ironically been hunted by the cats themselves.
46:12Thus, the Sabertoothed Cat became extinct through its own means of hunting.
46:16The art of killing always strives toward perfection,
46:20and given the chance, a Sabertoothed Cat might well evolve again.
46:24Number 2. Megalodon
46:25Sharks have long fascinated people,
46:33and a giant shark?
46:34Well, that's even more interesting for some,
46:37and more terrifying for others.
46:39Swimming the deep as recently as 3.6 million years ago,
46:42Megalodon shares a common ancestor with the Great White Shark,
46:45and they're generally reconstructed to appear similar to them.
46:49Still, while they may look like a Great White,
46:51their size is even greater,
46:54with some estimates putting them at up to 52 feet long.
46:57Megalodon was probably the apex predator of all time.
47:00People think T-Rex or something like that.
47:03It's dwarfed by Megalodon.
47:04Megalodon's huge, maybe even 70 feet long.
47:06Their extinction is believed to have been caused primarily by a cooling trend
47:10from one of the planet's ice ages,
47:12which would have lowered sea levels,
47:14and led to a loss of prey large enough to sustain them.
47:17Before we continue,
47:18be sure to subscribe to our channel,
47:20and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
47:23You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
47:27If you're on your phone,
47:28make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
47:33Number 1.
47:34Wooly Mammoth
47:35It was the early mammoths that grew truly huge,
47:39some standing over 4 meters tall at the shoulder
47:42and weighing twice as much as an African bull elephant.
47:46Truly one of the animal giants,
47:48it remains the greatest shame that this mammoth species is no longer with us.
47:52Surviving through the Ice Age thanks to its obvious woolly exterior,
47:56the mammoths coexisted with human life for years in the New World,
48:00along with the similarly elephantine mastodon.
48:02Their herds clearly inspired cave art.
48:07We've been transfixed by their majesty for thousands of years.
48:12Humanity found many uses for the bones of the prehistoric elephant,
48:15such as utilizing them for tools and using them in making homes.
48:19However, long-term shifts in climate
48:21seem to have affected the mammoths' native lands and safety,
48:24leading them to migrate to other pastures.
48:27Finally, the creatures made their last stand
48:29on Wrangell Island in the Arctic Ocean,
48:31surviving until 4,000 years ago
48:33and finally concluding their existence.
48:36Iconic and majestic,
48:39mammoths were once a mystery.
48:42Now we understand them better,
48:45we still revere them.
48:46We're still waiting for the
49:06the resource is going to be
49:10all over the world.
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