About This Site

Below are some explanations about this site, along with some internal and external links.

• This site focuses on animals that have gone extinct recently due to human activities. By “recently,” I mainly refer to the period after the 15th-16th century geographical discoveries. This is a significant part of the Holocene extinction event, also known as the “Sixth Extinction.” Some consider the Quaternary extinction event, which occurred between the Pleistocene and Holocene and led to the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna such as mammoths, giant deer, and cave lions, as part of the Holocene extinction event. However, this site does not cover these events, even though they likely had significant early human involvement.

• The scope of this site is quite broad, so only selected representative individuals are featured. Selection is based on personal interest, with a particular focus on recently extinct mammals and birds (within the last 150-200 years), although this is not absolute. This preference is both due to personal interest and the fact that more research and material are available for extinct birds and mammals. Invertebrates, which are critical components of biodiversity and ecosystem stability, receive less attention ¹, a situation that needs to change but is a topic for another time.

• The primary focus here is on extinct species, not subspecies, even though some recently extinct subspecies are well-known, such as the Caspian Tiger, Javan Tiger, and Bali Tiger among tigers, and the Japanese Wolf and Newfoundland Wolf among gray wolves. Regional extinctions, such as the Formosan Clouded Leopard and Chinese Rhinoceros, of course, are generally not the focus too, but may be mentioned indirectly.

• The definition of “extinct” used here is largely based on scientific institutions like the IUCN. Some species have not been officially declared extinct by these institutions but have had no confirmed sightings for a significant period, such as the Baiji (as of July 2024, the IUCN still lists it as “Critically Endangered, Possibly Extinct”). This site uses the term “presumed extinct” to describe such species. This is not a rigorous scientific classification but a way to include species that have no reliable sightings or solid evidence of existence and are essentially “functionally extinct.” The year of “presumed extinction” is taken as the last confirmed sighting or the death of the last known individual.

• Conversely, some species have been declared extinct by institutions like the IUCN but continue to have unconfirmed sightings and rumors of existence. The most typical example may be the Thylacine. These species are also within the scope of this site. However, it is crucial to distinguish between fact and legend for these species. While it is not impossible for a declared extinct species to have a few surviving individuals, it is important to differentiate this from pseudoscientific legends fueled by unrealistic enthusiasm.

External links related to topics on this site:

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The Sixth Extinction Forum

REPAD: The Recently Extinct Plants and Animals Database

List of extinct bird species since 1500