Tag: 18th century

Tongatapu Rail by Georg Forster?
A depiction of the extinct Tongatapu rail by Georg Forster? Created between 1772 and 1775. (© George Forster, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Tongatapu Rail

The only specimen is now lost Many bird species from the past were described based on a single specimen, which is now lost. One such example is the Tongatapu rail. Historical reports and descriptions of this bird species from the rail family (Rallidae) remain, based on observations and collections made

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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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Similar to Amsterdam wigeon: Auckland duck (Anas aucklandica)
According to the ornithologists Olson and Jouventin, the extinct Amsterdam wigeon is similar to the Auckland duck (Anas aucklandica; see picture), which still exists today and is also flightless. The picture by John Gerrard Keulemans appeared in the book Buller's Birds of New Zealand (1988). (© John Gerrard Keulemans, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Amsterdam wigeon

Amsterdam duck was barely larger than a thrush Both Amsterdam Island and Saint Paul are more than 3,000 kilometers away from continents. Yet, or perhaps because of this, the islands were often visited by early sailors and their accompanying animals, leading to the extinction of all endemic birds there before

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