It must have been shortly before the turn of the millennium when I found various books in an old display case in my grandparents’ attic, which nobody seemed to be interested in anymore. I remember one book that dealt with the origins of humanity, another was Two Years’ Vacation by Jules Verne, and the third one I still own to this day: Vom Aussterben bedroht? (Threatend with extinction?) by Igor Akimuschkin (1981 edition). I had no idea who Igor Akimuschkin was, but I had always found animals interesting, so I began to read.
Akimuschkin’s book title doesn’t quite deliver what it promises, as the first chapters actually focus on species that have long been extinct. But not dinosaurs, for example, but rather creatures like the dodo, the passenger pigeon, the thylacine, the aurochs, or the great auk – all beings that have disappeared over the last 500 years. Creatures that have become extinct because they have been hunted or displaced by humans. Akimuschkin’s vivid language seemed strange to me, but for the first time, I became aware that the extinction of animals doesn’t only date back millions of years, as in the case of dinosaurs, or about 10,000 years ago with mammoths. Rather, I realized that animals are constantly going extinct.
As I delved further into the topic, buying some books and searching for information online, I quickly realized that the extinct animal species Akimuschkin spoke of were just the beginning. They are only the ones whose extinction is best documented or whose disappearance has left a lasting impression in their respective cultures. Many other vanished species are completely unknown, and most people aren’t even aware that they existed at all. Moreover, comprehensive information on these species is rarely readily available.
Coupled with my burgeoning interest in the possibilities offered by the internet at that time, this likely gave me the impetus to create my own website on the subject. On this website, I showcase both well-known and lesser-known extinct animal species and strive to keep the knowledge about these species up-to-date.
The German version of my website (artensterben.de) has been in existence for 22 years now, having been occasionally neglected and completely overhauled several times. I’ve never studied biology, ecology, or anything similar, so I write all my posts to the best of my knowledge and ability based on extensive research. I welcome suggestions, corrections, or tips via email. Thank you very much!
Here are some related websites that I can recommend:
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – Website of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), listing species categorized by their threat levels as well as extinct species along with information.
- The Recently Extinct Animals and Plants Database – An extremely helpful database of species that have become extinct in recent times, providing key information and references.
- Extinction – a photographic exploration by Marc Schlossman – Marc Schlossman’s photographic exploration of extinct and endangered species at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, along with species information.
- The Sixth Extinction – A website about the current biodiversity crisis – A nonprofit website dedicated to extinct animal species, serving as inspiration for my own website.
- New Zealand Birds Online – An informative online encyclopedia about extinct and extant birds of New Zealand.
- Zootierliste [German] – Collected and structured data on current and historical vertebrate populations in zoos and other public animal facilities in the EAZA region.
- Peter Dollinger’s Zootier-Lexikon [German] – Detailed information on vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants, accompanied by images from zoos worldwide.
- Netzwerk für Kryptozoologie in Deutschland [German] – A recommended, up-to-date website on cryptozoology, as sightings or claims of extinct species like the thylacine may also be of interest.