Incredible Extinct Creatures That No Longer

Geography 25.02.2025 0 Comments Add to Reading List

15 Incredible Extinct Creatures That No Longer Walk the Earth:

A comprehensive list of thirty amazing creatures that once roamed the Earth but are now lost to time is provided here. There is a fascinating description, habitat, and cause of extinction for each entry. ________________________________________

Table of Contents

15 Incredible Extinct Creatures That No Longer Walk the Earth: 1

1. Rex tyrannosaurus. 1

2. Mammoth with Wool (Mammuthus primigenius) 1

3. Saber-Toothed Cat (Smilodon fatalis) 1

4. Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) 1

5. Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis) 2

6. Megalodon (Otodus megalodon) 2

7. Hydrodamalis gigas, Steller's Sea Cow.. 2

8. Irish Elk (Megaloceros giganteus) 2

9. Equus quagga quagga, or quagga. 3

10. Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine, Thylacinus cynocephalus) 3

11. Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) 3

12. Moa (Dinornithiformes) 3

13. Haast’s Eagle (Hieraaetus moorei) 3

14. Tortoise of Pinta Island (Chelonoidis abingdonii) 4

15. Bluebuck (Hippotragus leucophaeus) 4

1. Rex tyrannosaurus

Time Period: Late Cretaceous (68–66 million years ago)
Environment: North America
Description: T. rex, one of the most well-known dinosaurs, was a huge carnivore who stood about 12 feet (3.6 meters) tall at the hips and was 40 feet (12 meters) long. It was probably both a predator and a scavenger because it had strong jaws that were capable of breaking bones.
Extinction: The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, possibly caused by an impact from an asteroid.

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2. Mammoth with Wool (Mammuthus primigenius)

Time Period: Pleistocene to early Holocene (400,000–4,000 years ago)
Habitat: Asia, Europe, and North America
Description: These giant, shaggy-coated relatives of modern elephants were well-adapted to cold environments. They had long, curved tusks that they used for defense and digging through snow.

Human overhunting and climate change are to blame for the extinction.

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3. Saber-Toothed Cat (Smilodon fatalis)

Time Period: Pleistocene (2.5 million–10,000 years ago)
North and South America as a habitat
Description: Smilodon, often called the saber-toothed tiger, had long, curved canine teeth that could pierce through thick hides. It was a powerful predator that likely ambushed large prey.
Cause of Extinction: Decline in prey species due to climate change and competition with humans.

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4. Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

Time Period: Late Holocene (Extinct by 1681)
Habitat: Mauritius (Indian Ocean)

This flightless bird weighed approximately 30 pounds and stood approximately 3 feet tall. Until humans and introduced animals (rats, cats) arrived on the island, it had no natural predators.
Cause of Extinction: Hunting and habitat destruction by sailors and invasive species.

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5. Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis)

The Pleistocene to the nineteenth century (extinct by 1844)

Habitat: North Atlantic (Iceland, Canada, Northern Europe)
Description: A large, flightless seabird resembling a modern penguin, the Great Auk was a strong swimmer and relied on cold waters to thrive.
Cause of Extinction: Overhunting for feathers, meat, and eggs.

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6. Megalodon (Otodus megalodon)

The Miocene to Pliocene period (23–3.6 million years ago)

Habitat: Global oceans
Description: The largest shark to have ever lived, Megalodon could reach up to 60 feet (18 meters) in length and had teeth the size of a human hand. It preyed on large marine mammals like whales.
Cause of Extinction: Oceanic cooling, changes in prey populations, and competition with modern sharks.

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7. Hydrodamalis gigas, Steller's Sea Cow

The Holocene (which ended in 1768)

Habitat: The Bering Sea in the North Pacific
Description: A large, slow-moving marine mammal closely related to dugongs and manatees. It grew up to 30 feet long and fed on kelp.
Overhunting by European fur traders and explorers is to blame for the extinction

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8. Irish Elk (Megaloceros giganteus)

The Pleistocene to the beginning of the Holocene (400,000–8,000 years ago)

Habitat: Europe and Asia
Description: One of the largest deer species ever, with antlers spanning up to 12 feet. It was more closely related to modern fallow deer than to elk, despite its name.
Cause of Extinction: Climate change and human hunting.

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9. Equus quagga quagga, or quagga

Time Period: Holocene (Extinct by 1883)
Habitat: South Africa
The quagga was a subspecies of the plains zebra. It had stripes only on the front half of its body, making it stand out.
Overhunting and habitat destruction are to blame for the extinction. ________________________________________

10. Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine, Thylacinus cynocephalus)

Time Period: Holocene (Extinct by 1936)
Habitat: Australia and Tasmania
Description: A carnivorous marsupial that looked like a mix between a dog and a tiger, the thylacine was an apex predator.
Hunting, disease, and competition from introduced species like dogs are the causes of extinction.

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11. Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)

Time Period: Holocene (Extinct by 1914)
Habitat: North America
Description: Once the most numerous birds in North America, with billions of individuals, the passenger pigeon migrated in massive flocks.
Cause of Extinction: Overhunting and habitat destruction.

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12. Moa (Dinornithiformes)

The Holocene (which ended in 1400 AD)

Habitat: New Zealand
Description: Giant flightless birds, some reaching 12 feet tall. They were the primary prey of the Haast’s eagle.
Cause of Extinction: Hunting by the Maori people.

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13. Haast’s Eagle (Hieraaetus moorei)

The Holocene (which ended in 1400 AD)

Environment: New Zealand
Description: The largest eagle ever recorded; it preyed on large birds like the moa.
Cause of Extinction: Loss of prey (moa extinction).

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