Tag: 17th century

dodo reconstruction in National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France
This reconstruction of a dodo is the result of interpretative work based on historical and scientific research: testimonies, representations, and bones. There is no taxidermized specimen of the species. The bird was created by the artist Camille Renversade and realized in collaboration with the taxidermy workshops of the Museum. (© Doreen Fräßdorf, photo taken at Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, France, 2024)

Dodo

Dead as a dodo The dodo, a relative of pigeons (Columbidae), is perhaps the most famous example of a species driven to extinction by humans. Representations of the bird in literature and art are common, such as in the third chapter of the children’s book Alice in Wonderland (1865) by

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thylacine at UCL Grant Museum in London
Remains of the Tasmanian tiger, which was hunted to extinction in the early 20th century. (© Doreen Fräßdorf, photographed at the UCL Grant Museum of Zoology in London, England, 2024)

Extinctions: How Many Animal Species Have We Already Wiped Out?

There have been five mass extinction events in the history of Earth’s biodiversity, all caused by natural phenomena. It is believed that the sixth mass extinction is currently underway, this time solely driven by human activities. The Thylacine, the aurochs, and the dodo are just a few of the most

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aurochs (Bos primigenius)
This illustration of the aurochs was created between 1700 and 1880. The banteng, the gaur and the extinct kouprey are related to the wild cattle. (© Special Collections of the University of Amsterdam, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Aurochs

How the wild animal became a domestic pet The aurochs, or urus, is considered the first wild cattle domesticated by humans to ensure a steady supply of meat and milk and to provide draft and work animals. Domestication always involves physical changes: over time, the animals become smaller, their horns

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