Extinct Animals

This article is a fascinating study of the extinct animals that once inhabited our planet. Read all about these animals from the not so distant Caspian Tiger, which went into extinction around the 1970s; to the Sea Cow, which disappeared from the Bering Sea. What we need to understand is that all through time, man in quest of advancement has been the cause of the extinction of the different species of animals, flora and fauna.

The twentieth century has probably seen the most extinction due to degradation of the natural habitat of animals and plants, overexploitation, human induced climate changes and human borne infections and diseases. The 21st is doing its best to outdo the damage done in the previous century.

Some of the more rare extinct animals can be classified as follows:

The Caspian Tiger was once found in Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Mongolia and surrounding countries and was also referred to as the Persian tiger. It was the third largest of the species with a stocky body, strong legs, wide paws and unusually large claws, with a furry growth resembling a beard around the cheeks. In color the Caspian tiger was similar to the Bengal tiger. Varying reports claim the tiger went into extinction around 1950 to 1970; there have been reported sightings that have not been proven. This species has been systematically eradicated with Russia playing a major role in their extinction due to their major land reclamation plans. Deforestation and intensive hunting drove the Caspian tiger further and further from their habitat until they reached the mountains and certain extinction.

Most of us have probably never heard of the Irish Elk or Giant Deer, one of the largest of the deer species to inhabit the earth. Carbon dating places its extinction around 7-8 thousand years ago. The species was characterized by their distinctive antlers that were truly huge in size. Recent research indicates that large amounts of calcium and phosphate were required to form the antlers, which the animals met from their bones, leading to a condition similar to osteoporosis in the animal. Probably human presence and a decrease in their natural habitat led to their disappearance.

Extinct animals includes the non-threatening, passive sea cow found in the Bering Sea was discovered by Georg Steller and is commonly referred to as Steller's Sea Cow. This animal weighed a massive three tons and was much larger than a dugong or manatee, and looked like a very large seal. It lived only in water never touching land and was completely tame. The most likely explanation for its disappearance is probably human presence.