List of recently extinct mammals

Last updated

Biodiversity of large mammal species per continent before and after humans' arrival Extinctions Africa Austrailia NAmerica Madagascar.gif
Biodiversity of large mammal species per continent before and after humans' arrival
Circle frame.svg2 extinct in the wild mammalian species (0.03%)203 critically endangered mammalian species (3.5%)505 endangered mammalian species (8.7%)536 vulnerable mammalian species (9.3%)345 near threatened mammalian species (6.0%)3306 least concern mammalian species (57%)872 data deficient mammalian species (15%)
Mammalian species (IUCN, 2020-1)
  • 5850 extant species have been evaluated
  • 4978 of those are fully assessed [lower-alpha 1]
  • 3651 are not threatened at present [lower-alpha 2]
  • 1244 to 2116 are threatened [lower-alpha 3]
  • 81 to 83 are extinct or extinct in the wild:
    • 81 extinct (EX) species [lower-alpha 4]
    • 2 extinct in the wild (EW)
    • 0 possibly extinct [CR(PE)]
    • 0 possibly extinct in the wild [CR(PEW)]

  1. excludes data deficient evaluations.
  2. NT and LC.
  3. Threatened comprises CR, EN and VU. Upper estimate additionally includes DD.
  4. Chart omits extinct (EX) species

Recently extinct mammals are defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as any mammals that have become extinct since the year 1500 CE. [1] Since then, roughly 80 mammal species have become extinct. [2]

Contents

Extinction of taxa is difficult to confirm, as a long gap without a sighting is not definitive, but before 1995 a threshold of 50 years without a sighting was used to declare extinction. [1]

One study found that extinction from habitat loss is the hardest to detect, as this might only fragment populations to the point of concealment from humans. Some mammals declared as extinct may very well reappear. [1] For example, a study found that 36% of purported mammalian extinction had been resolved, while the rest either had validity issues (insufficient evidence) or had been rediscovered. [3]

As of June 2023, the IUCN listed 233 mammalian species as "critically endangered", while 27% of all mammalian species were threatened with extinction. [4]

Conventions

All species listed as "Extinct" are classified as being extinct (no known remaining individuals left) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). All species listed as Extinct in the wild are classified as being extinct in the wild, meaning that all remaining individuals of the species reside in captivity. All species listed as "Possibly extinct" are classified as being critically endangered, as it is unknown whether or not these species are extinct. [5] Extinct subspecies such as the Javan tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) [6] are not listed here as the species, in this case Panthera tigris , is still extant. The IUCN Redlist classification for each species serves as a citation, and the superscripted "IUCN" by the date is a link to that species' page. A range map is provided wherever available, and a description of their former or current range is given if a range map is not available.

Causes of extinction

Habitat degradation is currently the main anthropogenic cause of species extinctions. The main cause of habitat degradation worldwide is agriculture, with urban sprawl, logging, mining and some fishing practices close behind. The physical destruction of a habitat, both directly (deforestation for land development or lumber) and indirectly (burning fossil fuels), is an example of this. [7] [8]

Also, increasing toxicity, through media such as pesticides, can kill off a species very rapidly, by killing all living members through contamination or sterilizing them. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), for example, can bioaccumulate to hazardous levels, getting increasingly more dangerous further up the food chain. [9]

Disease can also be a factor: white nose syndrome in bats, for example, is causing a substantial decline in their populations and may even lead to the extinction of a species. [10]

Overhunting also has an impact. Terrestrial mammals, such as the tiger and deer, are mainly hunted for their pelts and in some cases meat, and marine mammals can be hunted for their oil and leather. Specific targeting of one species can be problematic to the ecosystem because the sudden demise of one species can inadvertently lead to the demise of another (coextinction) especially if the targeted species is a keystone species. Sea otters, for example, were hunted in the maritime fur trade, and their drop in population led to the rise in sea urchins—their main food source—which decreased the population of kelp—the sea urchin's and Steller's sea cow's main food source—leading to the extinction of the Steller's sea cow. [11] The hunting of an already limited species can easily lead to its extinction, as with the bluebuck whose range was confined to 1,700 square miles (4,400 km2) and which was hunted into extinction soon after discovery by European settlers. [12]

Australia

Island creatures are usually endemic to only that island, and that limited range and small population can leave them vulnerable to sudden changes. [13] While Australia is a continent and not an island, due to its geographical isolation, its unique fauna has suffered an extreme decline in mammal species, 10% of its 273 terrestrial mammals, since European settlement (a loss of one to two species per decade); in contrast, only one species in North America has become extinct since European settlement.[ citation needed ] Furthermore, 21% of Australia's mammals are threatened, and unlike in most other continents, the main cause is predation by feral species, such as cats. [14]

Extinct species

A species is declared extinct after exhaustive surveys of all potential habitats eliminate all reasonable doubt that the last individual of a species, whether in the wild or in captivity, has died. [15] Recently extinct species are defined by the IUCN as becoming extinct after 1500 CE. [1]

Common nameBinomial nameOrderDate of extinctionFormer rangePicture
Broad-faced potoroo Potorous platyops
Gould, 1844
Diprotodontia 1875 1 Australia BroadFacedPotoroo.jpg
Eastern hare wallaby Lagorchestes leporides
Gould, 1841
Diprotodontia 1889 1 Eastern Hare Wallaby Distribution Map.png
Australia
Lagorchestes leporides Gould.jpg
Lake Mackay hare-wallaby Lagorchestes asomatus
Finlayson, 1943
Diprotodontia 1932 1 Australia
Desert rat-kangaroo Caloprymnus campestris
Gould, 1843
Diprotodontia 1935 1 Desert Rat Kangaroo Distribution Map.png
Australia
Caloprymnus.jpg
Thylacine,
or Tasmanian wolf/tiger
Thylacinus cynocephalus
Harris, 1808
Dasyuromorphia 1936 1 ThylacineRangeMap.png
Australia, Tasmania
Thylacinus.jpg
Toolache wallaby Macropus greyi
Waterhouse, 1846
Diprotodontia 1939 1 Australia Macropus greyi - Gould.jpg
Desert bandicoot Perameles eremiana
Spencer, 1837
Peramelemorphia 1943 1 Australia Perameles eremiana.jpg
New South Wales barred bandicoot [16] Perameles fasciata
Gray, 1841
Peramelemorphia mid-19th centuryAustralia Gerard Krefft - Western barred Bandicoot, Perameles bougainville - Google Art Project.jpg
Southwestern barred bandicoot [16] Perameles myosuros
Wagner, 1841
Peramelemorphia mid-19th centuryAustralia Perameles bougainville - Gould.jpg
Southern barred bandicoot [16] Perameles notina
Thomas, 1922
Peramelemorphia mid-19th centuryAustralia
Nullarbor barred bandicoot [16] Perameles papillon
Travouillon & Phillips, 2018
Peramelemorphia early 20th centuryAustralia
Lesser bilby,
or Yallara
Macrotis leucura
Thomas, 1887
Peramelemorphia 1960s 1 Lesser Bilby Distribution Map 2.0.png
Australia
Lesserbilby.jpg
Southern pig-footed bandicoot Chaeropus ecaudatus
Ogilby, 1838
Peramelemorphia 1950s 1 Pig-footed Bandicoot Distribution Map.png
Australia
PigFootedBandicoot.jpg
Northern pig-footed bandicoot Chaeropus yirratji
Travouillon et al., 2019
Peramelemorphia 1950s Pig-footed Bandicoot Distribution Map.png Mus Nat Hist Nat 25022013 Chaeropus ecaudatus.jpg
Crescent nail-tail wallaby Onychogalea lunata
Gould, 1841
Diprotodontia 1956 1 Australia (western and central) Onychogalea lunata.jpg
Red-bellied gracile opossum,
or red-bellied gracile mouse opossum
Cryptonanus ignitus
Díaz, Flores and Barquez, 2002
Didelphimorphia 1962 1 Argentina
Nullarbor dwarf bettong Bettongia pusilla
McNamara, 1997
Diprotodontia early 1500s 1 Australia (Nullarbor Plain)
Steller's sea cow Hydrodamalis gigas
von Zimmermann, 1780
Sirenia 1768 1 Commander Islands (Russia, United States) Em - Hydrodamalis gigas model.jpg
Bramble Cay melomys Melomys rubicola
Thomas, 1924
Rodentia 2016 1 Australia (Bramble Cay) Bramble-cay-melomys.jpg
Oriente cave rat Boromys offella
Miller, 1916
Rodentia early 1500s 1 Cuba Boromys.offella.bmcz.jpg
Torre's cave rat Boromys torrei
Allen, 1917
Rodentia early 1500s 1 Cuba Boromys.torrei.bmcz.jpg
Imposter hutia Hexolobodon phenax
Miller, 1929
Rodentia early 1500s 1 Hispaniola (currently Haiti and the Dominican Republic)
Montane hutia Isolobodon montanus
Miller, 1922
Rodentia early 1500s 1 Hispaniola
Dwarf viscacha Lagostomus crassus
Thomas, 1910
Rodentia early 1900s 1 Peru
Galápagos giant rat Megaoryzomys curioi
Niethammer, 1964
Rodentia 1500s 1 Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos) Megaoryzomys curioi skull.JPG
Cuban coney Geocapromys columbianus
Chapman, 1892
Rodentia early 1500s 1 Cuba
Hispaniolan edible rat Brotomys voratus
Miller, 1916
Rodentia 1536–1546 1 Hispaniola
Puerto Rican hutia Isolobodon portoricensis
Allen, 1916
Rodentia early 1900s 1 Hispaniola; introduced to Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas Island, Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and Mona Island
Big-eared hopping mouse Notomys macrotis
Thomas, 1921
Rodentia 1843 1 Australia (central Western Australia)
Darling Downs hopping mouse Notomys mordax
Thomas, 1921
Rodentia 1846 1 Australia (Darling Downs, Queensland)
White-footed rabbit-rat Conilurus albipes
Lichtenstein, 1829
Rodentia early 1860s 1 Australia (eastern coast) Conilurus albipes - Gould.jpg
Capricorn rabbit rat Conilurus capricornensis
Cramb and Hocknull, 2010
Rodentia early 1500s 1 Australia (Queensland)
Short-tailed hopping mouse Notomys amplus
Brazenor, 1936
Rodentia 1896 1 Australia (Great Sandy Desert)
Long-tailed hopping mouse Notomys longicaudatus
Gould, 1844
Rodentia 1901 1 Australia Notomys longicaudatus.jpg
Great hopping mouse Notomys robustus
Mahoney, Smith and Medlin, 2008
Rodentia mid-1800s 1 Australia (Flinders Ranges and Davenport Ranges)
Desmarest's pilorie,
or Martinique giant rice rat
Megalomys desmarestii
Fischer, 1829
Rodentia 1902 1 Martinique Mus Nat Hist Nat 25022013 Megalomys desmarestii.jpg
Saint Lucia pilorie,
or Saint Lucia giant rice rat
Megalomys luciae
Major, 1901
Rodentia 1881 1 Saint Lucia Mus Nat Hist Nat 25022013 Megalomys luciae.jpg
Bulldog rat Rattus nativitatis
Thomas, 1888
Rodentia 1903 1 Christmas Island Rattus nativitatis.jpg
Maclear's rat Rattus macleari
Thomas, 1887
Rodentia 1903 1 Christmas Island MusMacleariSmit.jpg
Darwin's Galápagos mouse Nesoryzomys darwini
Osgood, 1929
Rodentia 1930 1 Galápagos Islands
Gould's mouse Pseudomys gouldii
Waterhouse, 1839
Rodentia 1930 1 Australia (southern half) Pseudomys gouldii - Gould.jpg
Plains rat,
or Palyoora
Pseudomys auritus
Thomas, 1910
Rodentia early 1800s 1 Australia (Kangaroo Island and the Younghusband Peninsula)
Pemberton's deer mouse Peromyscus pembertoni
Burt, 1932
Rodentia 1931 1 San Pedro Nolasco Island, Mexico Pemberton's deer mouse.png
Samaná hutia Plagiodontia ipnaeum
Johnson, 1948
Rodentia early 1500s [lower-alpha 1] 1 Hispaniola
Hispaniola monkey Antillothrix bernensis
MacPhee, Horovitz, Arredondo, & Jimenez Vasquez, 1995
Primates early 16th centuryHispaniola (currently Dominican Republic)
Lesser stick-nest rat,
or white-tipped stick-nest rat
Leporillus apicalis
John Gould, 1854
Rodentia 1933 1 Australia (west-central) Leporillus apicalis - Gould.jpg
Indefatigable Galápagos mouse Nesoryzomys indefessus
Thomas, 1899
Rodentia 1934 1 Galápagos Islands
Little Swan Island hutia Geocapromys thoracatus
True, 1888
Rodentia 1955 1 Swan Islands, Honduras Geocapromys thoracatus (Harvard University).JPG
Blue-gray mouse Pseudomys glaucus
Thomas, 1910
Rodentia 1956 1 Australia (Queensland, New South Wales)
Buhler's coryphomys
or Buhler's rat
Coryphomys buehleri
Schaub, 1937
Rodentia early 1500s 1 West Timor, Indonesia
Insular cave rat Heteropsomys insulans
Anthony, 1916
Rodentia early 1500s 1 Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
Candango mouse Juscelinomys candango
Moojen, 1965
Rodentia 1960 1 Central Brazil Jusceliomys candango.jpg
Anthony's woodrat Neotoma anthonyi
Allen, 1898
Rodentia 1926 1 Isla Todos Santos, Mexico
Bunker's woodrat Neotoma bunkeri
Burt, 1932
Rodentia 1931 1 Coronado Islands, Mexico
Vespucci's rodent Noronhomys vespuccii
Carleton and Olson, 1999
Rodentia 1500 1 Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
St. Vincent colilargo,
or St. Vincent pygmy rice rat
Oligoryzomys victus
Thomas, 1898
Rodentia 1892 1 Saint Vincent
Jamaican rice rat Oryzomys antillarum
Thomas, 1898
Rodentia 1877 1 Jamaica Oryzomys antillarum Ray.png
Nelson's rice rat Oryzomys nelsoni
Merriam, 1889
Rodentia 1897 1 Islas Marías, Mexico Oryzomys nelsoni dorsal.png
Nevis rice rat,
or St. Eustatius rice rat, St. Kitts rice rat
Pennatomys nivalis
Turvey, Weksler, Morris, and Nokkert, 2010
Rodentia early 1500s [lower-alpha 2] 1 Sint Eustatius and Saint Kitts and Nevis Pennatomys-range2.svg
Christmas Island pipistrelle Pipistrellus murrayi
Andrews, 1900
Chiroptera 2009 1 Christmas Island
Sardinian pika Prolagus sardus
Wagner, 1832
Lagomorpha 1774 1 Corsica and Sardinia Prolagus3.jpg
Marcano's solenodon Solenodon marcanoi
Patterson, 1962
Eulipotyphla 1500s 1 Dominican Republic
Puerto Rican nesophontes Nesophontes edithae
Anthony, 1916
Eulipotyphla early 1500s 1 Puerto Rico, Vieques Island, Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Puerto Rican shrew.jpg
Atalaye nesophontes Nesophontes hypomicrus
Miller, 1929
Eulipotyphla early 1500s 1 Hispaniola
Greater Cuban nesophontes Nesophontes major
Arredondo, 1970
Eulipotyphla early 1500s 1 Cuba
Western Cuban nesophontes Nesophontes micrus
Allen, 1917
Eulipotyphla early 1500s 1 Cuba (including Isla de la Juventud)
St. Michel nesophontes Nesophontes paramicrus
Miller, 1929
Eulipotyphla early 1500s 1 Hispaniola
Haitian nesophontes Nesophontes zamicrus
Miller, 1929
Eulipotyphla early 1500s 1 Haiti
Lesser Mascarene flying fox,
or dark flying fox
Pteropus subniger
kerr, 1792
Chiroptera 1864 1 Réunion, Mauritius Pteropus subniger.jpg
Guam flying fox,
or Guam fruit bat
Pteropus tokudae
Tate, 1934
Chiroptera 1968 1 Guam
Dusky flying fox,
or Percy Island flying fox
Pteropus brunneus
Dobson, 1878
Chiroptera 1870 1 Percy Islands (Australia)
Large Palau flying fox Pteropus pilosus
Andersen, 1908
Chiroptera 1874 1 Palau
Large sloth lemur Palaeopropithecus ingens
Grandidier, 1899
Primates 1620 1 Palaeopropithecus range map.svg
In green
Palaeopropithecus ingens.jpg
Aurochs Bos primigenius
Bojanus, 1827
Artiodactyla 1627 1 Bos primigenius map.jpg Aurochs and modern lion reconstruction - Greece during the Roman period.png
Bluebuck Hippotragus leucophaeus
Pallas, 1766
Artiodactyla 1800 1 LocationBluebuckRange.gif The book of antelopes (1894) Hippotragus leucophaeus.png
Red gazelle Eudorcas rufina
Thomas, 1894
Artiodactyla late 1800s 1 Algeria Eudorcas rufina.jpg
Schomburgk's deer Rucervus schomburgki
Blyth, 1863
Artiodactyla 1932 1 Thailand SchomburgksDeer-Berlin1911.jpg
Queen of Sheba's gazelle,
or Yemen gazelle
Gazella bilkis
Grover and Lay, 1985
Artiodactyla 1951 1 Yemen
Madagascan dwarf hippopotamus Hippopotamus lemerlei
Milne-Edwards, 1868
Artiodactyla early 1500s [lower-alpha 3] 1 Madagascar Malagasy Hippopotamus.jpg
Falkland Islands wolf or warrahDusicyon australis
Kerr, 1792
Carnivora 1876 1 Falkland Islands FalklandIslandFox2.jpg
Dusicyon avus Dusicyon avus
Burmeister, 1866
Carnivora early 1500s 1 Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay
Sea mink Neogale macrodon
Prentiss, 1903
Carnivora 1894 1 United States (Maine, Massachusetts) and Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland)
Japanese sea lion Zalophus japonicus
Peters, 1866
Carnivora 1970s 1 Japan, Korea, Russia Zalophus japonicus.JPG
Caribbean monk seal Neomonachus tropicalis
Gray, 1850
Carnivora 1952 1 Caribbean Sea Cms-newyorkzoologicalsociety1910.jpg
Giant fossa Cryptoprocta spelea
Grandidier, 1902
Carnivora before 1658 1 Cryptoprocta subfossil range map.svg Fossa de les cavernes.png
Lord Howe long-eared bat Nyctophilus howensis
McKean, 1975
Chiroptera prior to 1972 1 Lord Howe Island, Australia
Japanese otter Lutra nippon

Imaizumi & Yoshiyuki, 1989

Carnivora 1990s [19] Japan Lutra nippon.jpg

Extinct subspecies

Common nameBinomial nameSpeciesOrderDate of extinctionFormer rangePicture
Mississippi Valley wolf Canis rufus gregoryi
Goldman, 1937
Red wolf (Canis rufus) Carnivora 1980 North America
Caucasian wisent Bison bonasus caucasicus
Turkin and Satunin, 1904
European bison (Bison bonasus) Artiodactyla 1927 Europe CaucasianBison-Demidoff1898.jpg
Carpathian wisent Bison bonasus hungarorum
Kretzoi, 1946
European bison (Bison bonasus) Artiodactyla 1852 Europe
Quagga Equus quagga quagga
Boddaert, 1785
Plains zebra (Equus quagga) Perissodactyla 1883 Africa Quagga photo.jpg
Japanese wolf Canis lupus hodophilax
Temminick 1839
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1905 Asia Japanese Wolf.jpg
Hokkaido wolf Canis lupus hattai
Kishida, 1931
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1889 Asia Yezo wolf at Hokkaido University.jpg
Atlas bear Ursus arctos crowtheri
Schinz, 1844
Brown bear (Ursus arctos) Carnivora 1890Africa Atlasbear.jpg
Bali tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Shwarz,1912
Tiger (Panthera tigris) Carnivora 1950s Asia Bali tiger zanveld.jpg
Caspian tiger Panthera tigris tigris
Illiger, 1815
Tiger (Panthera tigris) Carnivora 1970s Asia Panthera tigris virgata.jpg
Javan tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Temminick, 1844
Tiger (Panthera tigris) Carnivora 1980s Asia Panthera tigris sondaica 01.jpg
Bubal hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus
Pallas 1766
Hartebeest (Alcephalus buselaphus) Artiodactyla 1925 Africa Bubalhartebeest-londonzoo.jpg
Portuguese ibex Capra pyrenaica lusitanica
Schlegel, 1872
Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) Artiodactyla 1892 Europe Ilustracao Portugueza, n 131, Lisboa, 24-8-1908 0017 Capra pyrenaica lusitanica.jpg
Pyrenean ibex Capra pyrenaica pyreneica
Schinz, 1838
Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) Artiodactyla 2000 Europe Pyrenean Ibex.png
Western black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis longipes
Zukowsky, 1999
Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) Artiodactyla 2011 Africa Diceros bicornis longipes.jpg
Cape lion Panthera leo melanochaita
Smith, 1842
Lion (Panthera leo) Carnivora mid 19th century Africa Cape Lion.jpg
Barbary lion Panthera leo leo
Linnaeus, 1758
Lion (Panthera leo) Carnivora 1960s Africa Barbary lion.jpg
Southern Rocky Mountain wolf Canis lupus nubilus
Nowak, 1995
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1935 North America Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate III) C. l. youngi mod.jpg
Kenai Peninsula wolf Canis lupus occidentalis
Nowak, 1995
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1925 North America The Wolves of North America (1944) C. l. alces .jpg
Banks Island wolf Canis lupus arctos
Nowak, 1995
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1952 North America Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate III) C. l. bernardi mod.jpg
Newfoundland wolf Canis lupus nubilus
Nowak, 1995
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1911 North America Stuffed Newfoundland wolf.jpg
Florida black wolf Canis rufus floridanus
Miller, 1912
Red wolf (Canis rufus) Carnivora 1934 North America FloridaBlackWolf.jpg
Cascade Mountains wolf Canis lupus nubilus
Nowak, 1995
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1944North America Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate IV) C. l. fuscus mod.jpg
Mogollon mountain wolf Canis lupus nubilus
Nowak, 1995
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1970s North America The Wolves of North America (1944) C. l. mogollonensis .jpg
Texas wolf Canis lupus nubilus
Nowak, 1995
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 19th century North America Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate III) C. l. monstrabilis mod.jpg
Sicilian wolf Canis lupus cristaldii
Angelici and Rossi, 2018
Grey wolf (Canis lupus) Carnivora 1924 Europe Canis lupus cristaldii subsp. nov.png
Mexican grizzly bear Ursus arctos nelsoni
Merriam, 1914
Brown bear (Ursus arctos) Carnivora 1965 North America Mexican grizzly bear.jpeg
California grizzly bear Ursus arctos californicus
Merriam, 1896
Brown bear (Ursus arctos) Carnivora 1924 North America Ursus arctos californicus, Santa Barbara, Natural History Museum.jpg
Tarpan Equus ferus ferus
Boddaert, 1785
Wild horse (Equus ferus) Perissodactyla 1909 Europe Kherson tarpan.jpg

Extinct in the wild

A species that is extinct in the wild is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as only known by living members kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range due to massive habitat loss. A species is declared extinct in the wild after thorough surveys have inspected its historic range and failed to find evidence of a surviving individual. [15]

Common nameBinomial nameOrderDate of extinctionFormer rangePicture
Père David's deer Elaphurus davidianus
Milne-Edwards, 1866
Artiodactyla 1939 1 China Pere David Deer - Woburn Deer Park (5115883164).jpg

Possibly extinct

Extinction of taxa is difficult to detect, as a long gap without a sighting is not definitive. Some mammals declared as extinct may very well reappear. [1] For example, a study found that 36% of purported mammalian extinction had been resolved, while the rest either had validity issues (insufficient evidence) or had been rediscovered. [3] As of December 2015, the IUCN listed 30 mammalian species as "critically endangered (possibly extinct)". [4]

Common nameBinomial nameOrderLast confirmed sightingRangePicture
Kouprey,
or Forest ox
Bos sauveli
Urbain, 1937
Artiodactyla 1988 1 Bos sauveli distribution.svg
Garrido's hutia Capromys garridoi
Varona, 1970
Rodentia 1989 1 [ dead link ] Cayo Maja, Cuba
Christmas Island shrew Crocidura trichura
Dobson, 1889
Eulipotyphla 1985 1 Christmas Island Shrew area.png
Wimmer's shrew Crocidura wimmeri
de Balsac and Aellen, 1958
Eulipotyphla 1976 1 Wimmer's Shrew area.png
Baiji,
or Yangtze river dolphin
Lipotes vexillifer
Miller, 1918
Artiodactyla 2002 [lower-alpha 4] 1 Cetacea range map Chinese River Dolphin.PNG Lipotes vexillifer.png
Zuniga's dark rice rat Melanomys zunigae
Sanborn
Rodentia 1949 1 Peru
Dwarf hutia Mesocapromys nanus
Allen, 1917
Rodentia 1937 1 Ciénaga de Zapata,
Cuba
San Felipe hutia,
or Little earth hutia
Mesocapromys sanfelipensis
Varona & Garrido, 1970
Rodentia 1978 1 Cuba
One-striped opossum Monodelphis unistriata
Wagner, 1842
Didelphimorphia 1899 1 Single-striped Opossum area.png
Gloomy tube-nosed bat Murina tenebrosa
Yoshiyuki, 1970
Chiroptera 1962 1 Tsushima Island and possibly Yaku Island,
Japan
New Zealand greater short-tailed bat Mystacina robusta
Dwyer, 1962
Chiroptera 1967 1 Taukihepa / Big South Cape Island, New Zealand Mystacina robusta specimen from Auckland Museum.jpg
Ethiopian amphibious rat,
or Ethiopian water mouse
Nilopegamys plumbeus
Osgood, 1928
Rodentia 1920s 1 Mouth of the Lesser Abay River,
Ethiopia
Angel Island mouse Peromyscus guardia
Townsend, 1912
Rodentia 1991 1 Isla Ángel de la Guarda,
Mexico
Puebla deer mouse Peromyscus mekisturus
Merriam, 1898
Rodentia 1950s 1 Ciudad Serdan and Tehuacán,
Mexico
Telefomin cuscus Phalanger matanim
Flannery, 1987
Diprotodontia 1997 1 Telefomin Cuscus area.png
Montane monkey-faced bat Pteralopex pulchra
Flannery, 1991
Chiroptera 1990s 1 Montane Monkey-faced Bat area.png
Aru flying fox Pteropus aruensis
Peter, 1867
Chiroptera 1877 1 Aru Flying Fox area.png
Emma's giant rat Uromys emmae
Groves and Flannery, 1994
Rodentia 1990s 1 Papua Province,
Indonesia
Emperor rat Uromys imperator
Thomas, 1888
Rodentia 1888 1 Guadalcanal,
Solomon Islands
Guadalcanal rat Uromys porculus
Thomas, 1904
Rodentia 1888 1 Guadalcanal,
Solomon Islands
Malabar large-spotted civet,
or Malabar civet
Viverra civettina
Blyth, 1862
Carnivora late 1900s [lower-alpha 5] 1 Malabar Large-spotted Civet area.png

See also

Notes

  1. A 1985 study suggested they may have survived into the 1900s based on local legends of the "comadreja"
  2. There were reports of unusual rats on Nevis being eaten by islanders in the 1930s. [17]
  3. Although, 14C dating points their extinction at 1000 C. E., a 1991 study found they coexisted with humans and survived into the 1500s. [18]
  4. The species may be functionally extinct. [20]
  5. The last confirmed sighting is unknown and their range in the wild is unconfirmed. Camera traps in Karnataka, their presumed habitat, found no individuals after 1,084 nights in 2006. [21]

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The tiger is a member of the genus Panthera native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is traditionally classified into nine recent subspecies, though some recognise only two subspecies, mainland Asian tigers and the island tigers of the Sunda Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leopard</span> Large spotted cat native to Africa and Asia

The leopard is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of 92–183 cm (36–72 in) with a 66–102 cm (26–40 in) long tail and a shoulder height of 60–70 cm (24–28 in). Males typically weigh 30.9–72 kg (68–159 lb), and females 20.5–43 kg (45–95 lb).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IUCN Red List</span> Inventory of the global conservation status of biological species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is an inventory of the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological species. A series of Regional Red Lists, which assess the risk of extinction to species within a political management unit, are also produced by countries and organizations.

The term "big cat" is typically used to refer to any of the five living members of the genus Panthera, namely the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard, as well as the non-pantherine cheetah and cougar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indochinese tiger</span> Tiger population in Southeast Asia

The Indochinese tiger is a population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies that is native to Southeast Asia. This population occurs in Myanmar and Thailand. In 2011, the population was thought to comprise 342 individuals, including 85 in Myanmar and 20 in Vietnam, with the largest population unit surviving in Thailand, estimated at 189 to 252 individuals during the period 2009 to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran tiger</span> Tiger subspecies endemic to Sumatra

The Sumatran tiger is a population of Panthera tigris sondaica on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is the only surviving tiger population in the Sunda Islands, where the Bali and Javan tigers are extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caspian tiger</span> Extinct tiger population in Central and Western Asia

The Caspian tiger was a Panthera tigris tigris population native to eastern Turkey, northern Iran, Mesopotamia, the Caucasus around the Caspian Sea, Central Asia to northern Afghanistan and the Xinjiang region in western China. Until the Middle Ages, it was also present in southern Russia. It inhabited sparse forests and riverine corridors in this region until the 1970s. This population was regarded as a distinct subspecies and assessed as extinct in 2003.

<i>Panthera leo leo</i> Lion subspecies

Panthera leo leo is a lion subspecies present in West Africa, northern Central Africa and India. In West and Central Africa it is restricted to fragmented and isolated populations with a declining trajectory. It has been referred to as the northern lion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South China tiger</span> Tiger population native to south China

The South China tiger is a population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies that is native to southern China. The population mainly inhabited the Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the China's Red List of Vertebrates and is possibly extinct in the wild since no wild individual has been recorded since the late 1980s. In the late 1990s, continued survival was considered unlikely because of low prey density, widespread habitat degradation and fragmentation, and other environmental issues in China. In the fur trade, it used to be called Amoy tiger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javan tiger</span> Extinct tiger population in Sunda Island Java

The Javan tiger was a Panthera tigris sondaica population native to the Indonesian island of Java. It was one of the three tiger populations that colonized the Sunda Islands during the last glacial period 110,000–12,000 years ago. It used to inhabit most of Java, but its natural habitat decreased continuously due to conversion for agricultural land use and infrastructure. By 1940, it had retreated to remote montane and forested areas. Since no evidence of a Javan tiger was found during several studies in the 1980s and 1990s, it was assessed as being extinct in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bali tiger</span> Extinct tiger subpopulation in Sunda Island Bali

The Bali tiger was a Panthera tigris sondaica population on the Indonesian island of Bali which has been extinct since the 1950s. It was formerly regarded as a distinct tiger subspecies with the scientific name Panthera tigris balica, which had been assessed as extinct on the IUCN Red List in 2008. In 2017, felid taxonomy was revised, and it was subordinated to P. t. sondaica, which also includes the still surviving Sumatran tiger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pantherinae</span> Subfamily of felids

The Pantherinae is a subfamily of the Felidae; it was named and first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1917 as only including the Panthera species, but later also came to include the clouded leopards. The Pantherinae genetically diverged from a common ancestor between 9.32 to 4.47 million years ago and 10.67 to 3.76 million years ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayan tiger</span> Tiger population in Malayan Peninsula

The Malayan tiger is a tiger from a specific population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies that is native to Peninsular Malaysia. This population inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula, and has been classified as critically endangered. As of April 2014, the population was estimated at 80–120 mature individuals, with a continuing downward trend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extinction risk from climate change</span> Risk of plant or animal species becoming extinct due to climate change

There are several plausible pathways that could lead to an increased extinction risk from climate change. Every plant and animal species has evolved to exist within a certain ecological niche. But climate change leads to changes of temperature and average weather patterns. These changes can push climatic conditions outside of the species' niche, and ultimately render it extinct. Normally, species faced with changing conditions can either adapt in place through microevolution or move to another habitat with suitable conditions. However, the speed of recent climate change is very fast. Due to this rapid change, for example cold-blooded animals may struggle to find a suitable habitat within 50 km of their current location at the end of this century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Israel</span>

The wildlife of Israel includes the flora and fauna of Israel, which is extremely diverse due to the country's location between the temperate and the tropical zones, bordering the Mediterranean Sea in the west and the desert in the east. Species such as the Syrian brown bear and the Arabian ostrich have become extinct in Israel because of their loss of habitat. As of May 2007, 190 nature reserves have been established in Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extinct in the wild</span> IUCN conservation category

A species that is extinct in the wild (EW) is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as only consisting of living members kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range. Classification requires exhaustive surveys conducted within the species' known habitat with consideration given to seasonality, time of day, and life cycle. Once a species is classified as EW, the only way for it to be downgraded is through reintroduction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baiji</span> Species of river dolphin

The baiji(Lipotes vexillifer), is a possibly extinct species of freshwater dolphin native to the Yangtze river system in China. It is thought to be the first dolphin species driven to extinction due to the impact of humans. This dolphin is listed as "critically endangered: possibly extinct" by the IUCN, has not been seen in 20 years, and several surveys of the Yangtze have failed to find it. The species is also called the Chinese river dolphin, Yangtze river dolphin, Yangtze dolphin and whitefin dolphin. The gnus name Lipotes means "left behind" and the species epithet vexillifer means "flag bearer". It is nicknamed the "Goddess of the Yangtze" and was regarded as the goddess of protection by local fishermen and boatmen. It is not to be confused with the Chinese white dolphin or the finless porpoise. This is the only species in the genus Lipotes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endangered species</span> Species of organisms facing a very high risk of extinction

An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, invasive species, and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amur leopard</span> Leopard subspecies in Far East Asia

The Amur leopard is a leopard subspecies native to the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and northern China. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as in 2007, only 19–26 wild leopards were estimated to survive in southeastern Russia and northeastern China.

The decline of wild mammal populations globally has been an occurrence spanning over the past 50,000 years, at the same time as the populations of humans and livestock have increased. Nowadays, the total biomass of wild mammals on land is believed to be seven times lower than its prehistoric values, while the biomass of marine mammals had declined fivefold. At the same time, the biomass of humans is "an order of magnitude higher than that of all wild mammals", and the biomass of livestock mammals like pigs and cattle is even larger than that. Even as wild mammals had declined, the growth in the numbers of humans and livestock had increased total mammal biomass fourfold. Only 4% of that increased number are wild mammals, while livestock and humans amount to 60% and 36%. Alongside the simultaneous halving of plant biomass, these striking declines are considered part of the prehistoric phase of the Holocene extinction.

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