1. The Northern White Rhinoceros
The last two living northern white rhino’s in existence happen to both be female as the last male died in March of 2018. The two females are unable to give birth, which makes the introduction of a new generation of the species very unlikely. Scientists are working on the use of harvested sex cells and IVF to bring forth a lab-created northern white rhinoceros.
2. The Tasmanian Tiger
Thylacine or the Tasmanian tiger once roamed the mainland of Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. At the beginning of European colonization, the rise of human activity brought it closer to extinction.
3. Passenger Pigeon
According to estimates, the population of passenger pigeons was in the millions or even billions when the first Europeans began to settle in America.
4. The Spix Macaw
Considered extinct in nature, the Spix Macaw currently exists in captivity and is in the very low range of 60-80. The bird is also called Little Blue Macaw because it is known for its bright blue feathers.
5. The Quagga
Quagga, an extinct subspecies of the common zebra, roamed South Africa in the 19th century. The photo above was taken at London Zoo, which is unfortunately the only one to have been photographed.
6. The Golden Toad
This little toad was last seen in 1989 in a rainforest in Costa Rica before being declared extinct in 1994. Chytridiomycosis, a deadly skin disease, is thought to have decimated the already vulnerable toad population.
7. West African Black Rhino
Western Black Rhino is a perfect example of how humanity can hunt a species to extinction. What was once abundant and wandering in the forests of Africa was declared extinct in 2001.
8. Barbary Lion
The Barbary lion, also called Atlas lion or Nubian lion, was discovered from Morocco to Egypt. Unlike other lions, the Barbary lion was the largest and heaviest lion.
9. Pinta Island Tortoise
The Pinta Island Tortoise was present when Darwin visited the Galapagos in 1835. Unfortunately, a male named Lonesome George (pictured) was the last purebred of this subspecies and was passed in 2015 .
10. Schomburgk’s Deer
Schomburgk’s deer was native to Thailand and was named after German-born explorer, Sir Robert H. Schomburgk. Scientists believe that there may still be a few of these deer in the wild even though they were officially declared extinct in 2006 with the last known deer reportedly killed in captivity in 1938.
