EXTINCT ANIMALS

GIANT GROUND SLOTH

EXTINCTION: 10,000 YEARS AGO

The largest ground sloth was the size of an elephant.

Their claws could reach 50cm in length; that's the size

of a human forearm. Despite their huge claws and

intimidating appearance, these sloths, like their

modern day tree sloth were herbivores.

WOOLLY MAMMOTH

Extinction: Between 10,000 and 4,000 years ago.

Most Woolly Mammoths died out approximately 10,000

years ago. However, a small population of 500-1000

woolly mammoths lived on Wrangel Island until 1650 BC.

The human/mammoth relationship is well documented

in cave paintings. The Rouffignac cave in France features

over 158 depictions.

IRISH ELK

EXTINCTION: 7,500 YEARS AGO

The Irish elk was about 6 feet 11 inches tall and had very

widespread antlers. The animal's antlers extended to about

12 feet in length from one tip to the other. One of the reasons

the Irish Elk was thought to become extinct, was because of its

sheer size. Despite its name, the Irish Elk was found all across

Europe and Asia, and in North Africa, and is technically a deer

rather than an elk.

DIPLODOCUS

EXTINCTION: LATE JURASSIC

(OVER 145 MILLION YEARS AGO).

The long tail of Diplodocus was probably its primary weapon

against predators. Studies using advanced computer modelling

programs have suggested that Diplodocus could whip its tail

at almost 800 mph. Diplodocus had almost comically tiny brains 

compared to the rest of their bodies. 

QUAGGA

EXTINCTION: 1883

The quagga roamed the plains of South Africa, once considered a

separate species the Quagga is now generally accepted as a 

subspecies of the Plain’s Zebra.  Little is known about the Quagga’s

behaviour in the wild, this image was found in 1991 and features a

Quagga in captivity at London Zoo; it is thought to date back to 1870.

DODO

EXTINCTION: 1662.

The Dodo was a flightless bird that was endemic to the

island of Mauritius. The closest extant relative of the

Dodo is the Nicobar Pigeon. Because very few illustrations are

known to have been drawn from live specimens, its exact

appearance in life remains unresolved. 

STELLER'S SEA COW

EXTINCTION: 1768.

The Sea Cow grew to at least 8 to 9m in length as an adult,

much larger than the Manatee or Dugong (closest living relatives).

The species was quickly wiped out by the sailors, seal hunters,

and fur traders, who hunted it for food and for skins, which

were used to make boats. It was also hunted for its valuable

subcutaneous fat, which was not only used for food, but also for 

oil lamps because it did not give off any smoke or odour and

could be kept for a long time in warm weather without spoiling. 

By 1768, 27 years after it had been discovered by Europeans,

Steller's Sea Cow was extinct.