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Homo homini lupus est is a Latin phrase popularized by the philosopher Thomas Hobbes that can be translated as "man is a wolf to man". This phrase tries to exemplify the rawness and brutality that human beings can reach for themselves. However, the evils of man are not only seen in the relationship with himself, but also leaves a dent in our neighbors on planet Earth.
In recent centuries, the number of animals that have disappeared due to human action has been counted in the hundreds, either directly -by hunting- or indirectly -by deforestation or climate change-, the human being is behind most animal extinctions.
¿You want to know the list of extinct animals by man? In the following Green Ecologist article we explain some of the most paradigmatic cases.
Extinct animals by the action of man: the causes
When we say that behind the disappearance of a spice is the hand of man, we usually think of extensive or poaching. Unfortunately, that's not the only way humans can drive a species to extinction. History has repeatedly taught us that the ways we harm the planet and its inhabitants are many and varied. However, main causes of the extinction of animals by man can be summarized in the following three:
- Overhunting: The main cause of most of the extinctions on the list, extensive hunting in man has caused the disappearance of dozens of animal species.
- Habitat destruction: the most paradigmatic case is deforestation, but we also count in this group the destruction of rivers, lakes and other natural environments that lead to the disappearance of the species inhabitants.
- Destruction of their livelihoodsFor example, killing a single species can cause chain extinctions of other species that fed on the first, the same happens if you end up with a type of forest, tree, plant or any other means.
List of extinct animals by man
- Moas: The moas were giant birds, like ostriches but larger, that lived in New Zealand and that became extinct due to the hunting to which they were subjected by the Maori tribe. Its extinction was around 1500.
- Black rhino: This precious animal became extinct from West Africa as a result of hunting, which had a target for trafficking in its horns.
- Tasmanian Tiger: This iconic animal was the victim of hunting -because it is a predator of livestock-, the destruction of the habitat where it lived and of certain diseases. The last specimen died in 1982.
- Dodo: the dodo is the example of a species extinct by man. This flightless bird from the Mauritius Islands, became extinct in the seventeenth century as a result of the arrival of man: hunting and the destruction of forests.
- Elephant bird: it was another flightless bird that owed its name to its enormous size, over 3 meters. Its disappearance was not so much the result of hunting the animal, but of the eggs, which were used as containers and as trophies.
- Mammoth: their extinction was not solely due to humans, here we explain why the mammoths became extinct.
- Bali tiger: this species of tiger disappeared in 1937 as a result of hunting and the disappearance of its natural habitats.
- Duck Poc: a species typical of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala that became extinct due to maritime traffic and the introduction of fish that competed for their food.
- Quagga: it was a type of zebra whose last specimen died at the end of the 19th century due to indiscriminate hunting.
- Bucardo: it was a subspecies of mountain goat that became extinct due to indiscriminate hunting in 2000.
- Western Rabipedal Kangaroo: Hunting was a key element in the disappearance of the yellowtail kangaroo, however, we must add other decisive factors such as the destruction of its habitat and the predation of other species.
- Macao Glaucous Macaw: it was a fairly large parrot, about 70 centimeters, that lived between the north of Argentina, the south of Paraguay and the northeast of Brazil and Uruguay that became extinct between the 19th and 20th centuries. The main cause of its extinction was the destruction of the yatay palm, which was its main food.
Animals in danger of extinction by man
In addition to the list of extinct animals by man that we have just shown you, and other animals that we have missed along the way, there are other species that can be added to that list if we do not do anything about it. Among the animals that, because of man, they are in danger of extinction, we find:
- Lions: At present the number of specimens that we find in Africa amounts to 20 thousand, however, half a century ago there were about half a million. If we take into account that 5 of its specimens are hunted every day, the end of this species may be near.
- Leopards: while just 50 years ago we could find up to 700,000 leopards, today that number has dropped to 50,000. Every year 5,000 of these animals die, which are hunted for their fur.
- Orangutans: the production of palm oil is one of the main causes that the orangutan is in danger of extinction, since for its conreo the forests where these primates live are destroyed.
- Rhinos: every day 3 rhinos are killed to obtain their horns, in fact, these animals have already disappeared from Mozambique and are on their way to doing so throughout the continent.
- Elephants: at present, in the Asian continent, there are about 300,000 elephants. Yet nearly 40,000 are murdered each year. At this rate, elephants are in serious danger of extinction.
- Lemur: the human being settled in Madagascar 2,000 years ago, since then, up to 20 species of this animal have already become extinct. Today, 91% of those that remain are in danger of extinction.
- Sharks: every year hundreds of sharks die to be cooked. Worst of all, they are caught, their fins cut off and thrown back into the sea, where they die by drowning.
If you want to read more articles similar to List of extinct animals by man, we recommend that you enter our category of Extinct Animals.
