Top 10 Most Beautiful Extinct Animal Species

Also known as Pinguinus impennis, the Great Auk was a flightless bird resembling today's penguins. Like penguins, they were skilled swimmers, stored fat beneath their skin for warmth, and huddled together in large groups for survival. The main difference was their heavy, hooked beaks and their height of about 90 cm. They lived in the North Atlantic until their extinction in the 19th century. The reason for their extinction began in the early 16th century when Europeans hunted them for their down feathers to make pillows. Later, they were hunted in North America for use as fishing bait, suffering brutal treatment such as skinning or being roasted alive. As they became scarce, museums and collectors also hunted for preserved specimens, ultimately leading to the extinction of the species.

Pinta Island Tortoise, also known as Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii, was a subspecies of giant tortoise native to the Galápagos Islands. They were increasingly hunted for food in the 19th century, and their habitat was completely destroyed by the 1950s when goats were introduced to the island. Despite efforts to protect the species, by 1971, only one individual remained — the famous lone tortoise named George. Although attempts were made to pair George with other tortoises, none of the eggs produced hatched. Ultimately, George passed away in 2012, marking the extinction of his lineage.

Also known as Hydrodamalis gigas, Steller's Sea Cow was a massive marine mammal, resembling a manatee, that fed on vegetation. It could grow up to 9 meters in length. Discovered by Georg Wilhelm Steller, this species was unfortunately hunted to extinction by Europeans in just three weeks. Its docile nature and tendency to swim into shallow waters to feed made it an easy target. Native to the coastal waters of the North Pacific, it was hunted for meat, blubber for oil, and skin for boat covers, leading to its complete extinction by 1768. Hunters followed Steller’s route to track and capture them.

The Saber-Toothed Tiger lived in North and South America during the late Ice Age, evolving into its full form around 2.5 million years ago. An adult typically weighed around 400kg, stood 1.4 meters tall, and measured 3 meters in length. Despite its name, it resembled a bear more than a tiger, with short, strong forelimbs that were not ideal for speed. Its saber-like teeth could grow up to 30 cm but were fragile and easily broken, mainly used to slice through the soft flesh of distracted prey. The saber-toothed tiger could open its jaw to a remarkable 120 degrees, but its bite force was relatively weak. They typically hunted large prey such as bison, deer, and young mammoths, and might have scavenged carcasses. It's believed they may have lived in packs, though hunting smaller prey was difficult for them, possibly contributing to their eventual extinction. Interestingly, their extinction coincided with the arrival of humans, who became skilled hunters.

Mammoths, specifically the woolly variety, were most commonly found in the frozen regions of the northern hemisphere at the end of the last Ice Age, around 11,700 years ago. These giant creatures stood up to 3.35 meters tall and weighed as much as 6 tons, comparable to African elephants, though they were more closely related to Asian elephants. Unlike modern elephants, mammoths had a thick coat of brown or golden fur, short tails that tucked in to retain warmth, and long tusks used for fighting and foraging. Their tusks made them prime targets for hunting, not only for their meat but also for their ivory. However, the primary reason for their extinction was climate change at the end of the Ice Age. As the glaciers melted, their habitats were destroyed, and their numbers dwindled. With humans continuing to hunt them, the last surviving mammoths disappeared over the following 4,000 years.

The Moa was one of the largest flightless birds, native to New Zealand. Standing nearly 4 meters tall and weighing up to 230 kg, these birds were colossal. Despite their towering height, anatomical studies show that their necks slanted forward rather than standing straight, creating a gradual incline that amplified their calls through resonance.

The Moa was once preyed upon only by the Haast's eagle, but that changed when the Māori people arrived in New Zealand around 1300 AD. Within just a century, overhunting by humans led to the Moa's extinction, which also caused the demise of the Haast's eagle.

The Tasmanian Tiger was the largest carnivorous marsupial of modern times, evolving around 4 million years ago and going extinct in the 1930s, primarily due to excessive hunting by humans, particularly farmers who saw them as threats to their livestock. Additional factors contributing to their extinction included habitat destruction from agricultural development, natural disasters, and the invasion of wild dogs. This extraordinary species inhabited Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea, growing up to 2 meters in length.

The Tasmanian Tiger was the apex predator in its ecosystem. It hunted at night, preying on animals such as kangaroos, wallabies, birds, and small mammals. Its jaw could open up to 120 degrees, and its stomach was highly adaptable, able to expand to store large amounts of food when prey was scarce. Unusually, both male and female Tasmanian Tigers had pouches, with females using them to protect their genitalia when navigating through thick underbrush.

The Irish Elk, also known scientifically as Megaloceros giganteus, once roamed across Ireland, Siberia, and most of Northern Europe, but now it is extinct. This species had many similarities to modern deer and is often referred to as the 'Giant Deer.' Standing as tall as 7 feet (2.14 meters) at the shoulder and weighing up to 700 kg, the Irish Elk was an imposing figure. The most notable feature of this species was its massive antlers, which could span up to 3.7 meters. These impressive antlers evolved through sexual selection, with males using them to assert dominance, fend off rivals, and attract mates.

The Irish Elk survived for around 400,000 years before disappearing approximately 5,000 years ago, largely due to overhunting by humans. However, climate change played a role as well, with the warming of the ice age enabling the rapid growth of plant life, which led to severe mineral deficiencies, especially calcium, the primary component of their antlers. If humans had not hunted them to extinction, it’s likely the Irish Elk would have died out due to a lack of calcium necessary for their bones and antlers.

Quagga was a remarkable animal, combining the body structure of a horse with the distinctive striped coat of a zebra. This subspecies of the donkey diverged around 200,000 years ago but became extinct in the 19th century.

Native to South Africa, the quagga’s call was so unique that it inspired its name. Tragically, this fascinating creature was hunted to extinction by humans by 1883, as it was seen as a threat to livestock or hunted for its meat and hide.

Japanese Honshu Wolf, scientifically known as “canis lupus hodophilax,” once roamed the islands of Shikoku, Hyushu, and Honshu in Japan. This was the smallest wolf species within the canis lupus family, standing at about 91.5 cm tall and 30.5 cm wide. The species suffered greatly from rabies, which spread through the wolf packs, either directly or indirectly through infected dogs, making them more aggressive towards humans.

As their habitats were destroyed and their interactions with humans grew more hostile, these wolves were hunted more frequently until they were driven to extinction by 1905.