When did the thylacine die in Hobart Zoo?
The thylacine died on the 7th of September 1936. This death marked the end of a species that had once roamed the Australian landscape.
Questions about Extinction
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is an example of a Lazarus taxon rediscovered after being thought extinct?
The coelacanth serves as a famous example of a Lazarus taxon. This fish was considered extinct since the end of the Cretaceous Period until 1938 when a living specimen was found off the Chalumna River on the east coast of South Africa.
How many plant and animal species are at risk of extinction due to human actions?
One million plant and animal species are now at risk of extinction due largely to human actions. Twenty-five percent of all plant and animal species face threats of disappearance according to a 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
Who established modern conceptions of catastrophic extinction through a lecture in 1796?
Georges Cuvier established modern conceptions of catastrophic extinction through a lecture delivered to the French Institute in 1796. His primary evidence came from mammoth skulls discovered near Paris which were distinct from any known living elephant species.
When did scientists try cloning the Pyrenean ibex and what happened to the clone?
Scientists tried cloning the Pyrenean ibex in 2009 but the clone died seven minutes later due to lung defects. The International Union for Conservation Nature maintains a conservation status called extinct in the wild for species not known to have any living specimens outside artificial environments like zoos.