Top 50 Extinct Animals

#50: Zanzibar Leopard

Unlike extinctions caused by habitat loss or hunting, the Zanzibar leopard’s disappearance is shrouded in superstition. Believing the leopards were maintained by witches, local communities in the Zanzibar archipelago of Tanzania led widespread extermination campaigns. To make matters worse, the campaigns were also encouraged by the Tanzanian government. By the 1990s, the species was considered extinct, though occasional unconfirmed sightings continue to spark debate. In 2018, Animal Planet even released footage claiming it captured a sighting of the leopard. Experts have remained skeptical. Whether truly gone or not, the Zanzibar leopard is a cautionary tale of how superstitious fear can doom even apex predators.

#49: Splendid Poison Frog

Famous for its vivid red and black hue, this resident of Panama’s western Cordillera Central is unfortunately no more. A more recent extinction, the splendid poison frog was last recorded in 1992 and officially declared extinct in 2020. This amphibian’s passing has largely been attributed to the deadly chytrid fungus outbreak of 1996. The virus wiped out much of the amphibian population. Deforestation and loss of habitat have also played a role. Once a prized pet for collectors, scientists believe it is possible that a few still survive in captivity, but none exist in zoos or conservation facilities. The story of the splendid poison frog reveals how even vibrant, seemingly abundant species can disappear quickly when faced with disease and environmental disruption.

#48: Japanese Sea Lion

A close relative of the California sea lion living in distant seas, the Japanese sea lion was once a familiar sight in the Sea of Japan. Breeding on sandy beaches, Japanese sea lions were a pivotal part of local ecosystems. Unfortunately, the species fell prey to commercial hunting in the early 20th century. What followed was a rapid decline in their population. By the 1970s, the species was considered extinct. What makes the story of the Japanese sea lion even more tragic is the reality that they were only recognized as a distinct species in 2003. Several decades after their disappearance, their story underscores how exploitation, combined with delayed scientific recognition, can combine to erase a species before conservation efforts are even considered.

#47: Sicilian Wolf

Seen as a threat to livestock, this paler and smaller relative of the gray wolf was relentlessly hunted and killed. The existence of human settlements and growing farmer communities also meant shifting land use. This reduced the abundance of prey for the wolf. The species eventually went extinct in the 1920s and was forgotten for decades. In 2018, a study confirmed the Sicilian wolf to be a distinct subspecies of the gray wolf through DNA and skeletal analysis. Although gone, the discovery of the wolf’s family tree emphasized how humanity has been the root cause behind the erasure of nature’s biodiversity and the precious knowledge we lose in the process.

#46: Caribbean Monk Seal

Nicknamed the “sea wolf” of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, this mammal was first recorded by Europeans in 1494. An eight-foot long pinniped, the Caribbean monk seal lived a simple life that alternated between resting, birthing, and nursing pups on beaches. Their peaceful lifestyle unfortunately made them vulnerable and easy prey. A combination of hunting for oil and meat and fishing sealed the fate of the seals. The last confirmed sighting was in 1952. In 2008 they were officially declared extinct. Tragically, the Caribbean monk seal is the only pinniped species to be driven to extinction by human activity … so far. This is one extinction that is a sobering milestone in marine history.

#45: Pernambuco Pygmy Owl

Owls can be difficult to spot. It’s even harder when you are among the smallest of your family. The Pernambuco pygmy owl is an elusive bird that has rarely been observed. Not seen since 2001, the owl has endured its share of widespread habitat loss and forest fragmentation caused by agriculture and urban expansion in its native habitat of northeastern Brazil. The International Union for Conservation of Nature uplisted the owl’s status to extinct in 2018. The loss of this tiny predator suggests deeper ecological imbalances in Brazil’s forests. The Pernambuco pygmy owl is a reminder that even smaller, lesser-known species play crucial roles in their ecosystems.

#44: Dimetrodon

Arriving 40 million years before the first dinosaurs, Dimetrodons were a group of reptile-like four-limbed vertebrates. Roaming the Earth during the Permian period, this animal’s most striking feature was a massive sail-like structure on its back, likely used for temperature regulation or intimidation. Fossils suggest that the Dimetrodon grew up to 15 feet long. While the exact reasons behind its extinction are not known, broader ecological changes during the Permian period, including climate shifts and habitat changes, are believed to have contributed to its demise. The Dimetrodon is an example of the strange and fascinating creatures that roamed the planet prior to the dinosaurs.

#43: Bramble Cay Melomys

Native to a tiny coral island in Australia’s Torres Strait was a small rodent with a grim distinction. The Bramble Cay melomys was declared extinct in 2019. The declaration also made it the first documented mammal extinction caused by human-driven climate change. Rising sea levels alongside increasingly intense storm surges destroyed the little critter’s limited habitat on the island and drowned its food sources. The last confirmed sighting of the rodent was in 2009. Despite the efforts of conservationists, no more individuals of the species were found in later surveys. Though small and obscure, the Bramble Cay melomys shows that even tiny, remote creatures are not safe from the far-reaching impacts of climate change.

#42: Ammonites

Thriving for more than 300 million years, ammonites were a collection of marine mollusk species that were related to modern squids and octopuses. Ranging in size from just a few inches to more than two meters across, ammonite fossils are among the most common and beautiful in the world. The last species vanished around 66 million years ago, during the same mass extinction that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs. Today, their coiled shells remain iconic symbols of prehistoric oceans and are often used by geologists to date rock layers. Capturing the imagination of scientists and collectors alike, the ammonites remind us of the fragility of even long-dominant life forms.

#41: Megalania

Once Australia’s top terrestrial predator, this giant monitor lizard may have reached over 20 feet long. Rivaling the Komodo dragon in its build, but also far more imposing, the megalania probably had a venomous bite and preyed on large animals, possibly even humans. Aboriginal dreamtime stories of giant serpents may have been inspired by encounters with this apex predator. In fact, hunting by ancient Australians may have contributed to the lizard’s extinction around 50,000 years ago. Leaving behind a chilling legacy, megalania is one other addition to the long list of massive reptiles that once stalked the planet alongside our ancestors.

#40: Pinta Giant Tortoise

Being the last known individual of a species is a grim existence. No one knew this better than Lonesome George, the last of the Pinta giant tortoise species of the Galapágos Islands. George lived in captivity until his death in 2012, becoming a global symbol of conservation. Once abundant, this giant tortoise species became a food source for whalers in the 19th century while invasive goats destroyed their habitat. Following George’s death, researchers discovered hybrids on nearby islands. Unfortunately, the pure line of the species was lost forever. The story of the Pinta giant tortoise highlights the folly of human-motivated destruction. At the same time, George’s life impresses the need for conservational efforts to prevent other creatures from sharing the same fate.

#39: Entelodont

Nicknamed “hell pigs,” the entelodonts had a reputation to maintain and as fearsome scavengers and predators. These massive omnivorous mammals lived around 15 to 38 million years ago. While they were pig-like in appearance, they were more closely related to hippos and whales. With huge skulls and bone-crushing teeth, entelodonts could grow up to the size of a horse. Fossil evidence suggests that they dominated prehistoric ecosystems, even competing with early carnivores and shaping the food chain. Coupled with their nightmarish appearance and aggressive behavior, these hell pigs rank among the most terrifying prehistoric mammals and evolution’s most monstrous experiments.

#38: Procoptodon

Standing close to 9 feet tall and weighing up to 500 pounds, the Procoptodon was one kangaroo you didn’t want to pick a fight with. Alive during the Ice Age in Australia, the Procoptodon was unlike the modern kangaroo. It had a flat face and forward-facing eyes, giving it almost an uncanny appearance. Thankfully, this kangaroo didn’t have any beef with humanity – it largely adapted to browsing shrubs and thrived in arid landscapes. However, it disappeared around 45,000 years ago. Scientists are mixed on the reason for the species’ extinction, with some blaming climate change and others pointing the finger at hunting pressure from humans.

#37: Labrador Duck

While this waterfowl species reportedly didn’t taste good or fetch a high price for hunters, that didn’t save it from allegedly going the way of the Dodo in the 1870s. Though some theorize the overharvesting of its eggs played a role, other reports claim the Labrador duck was already on the way out when European settlers arrived in their habitat. As a result, the species thinned rapidly, leaving little scientific evidence behind to study. If you really want to see a Labrador duck, you aren’t completely out of luck, though. Specimens are stored at more than fifty museums across the world.

#36: Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle

This antelope was native to the Arabian Peninsula, where it once roamed the lands of Yemen. Identified by its striking and distinctive black-and-white markings, the species became extinct in the 1950s. In 1985, a photograph of gazelles in a private collection from a wildlife farm in Qatar drew claims that the species may have survived, although no confirmation has been made since. While the cause of extinction of the Queen of Sheba’s gazelle is still uncertain, researchers have identified probable factors in overhunting and loss of habitat. The gazelle’s disappearance from the Yemeni hills and mountainsides is now seen as symbolic of Middle Eastern species loss.

#35: Dutch Alcon Blue

Admittedly, information on this blue butterfly subspecies is hard to come by. But, that’s not because it went extinct a long time ago. No, the Dutch Alcon Blue was apparently flying as recently as the 1970s. However, unless you lived in two very specific parts of the Netherlands, you never got a glimpse of them. The window wasn’t open for very long, either. One population fell off the map in 1975, and the next in 1979. There hasn’t been a verified sighting of the Dutch Alcon Blue since, leaving scientists to conclude it’s gone for good.

#34: Eurypterid

Scorpions, today, are exclusively a feature of deserts. But before vertebrates ruled the seas, giant scorpions known as eurypterids dominated ancient oceans. Nicknamed “sea scorpions,” these bugs grew up to eight feet long. Much like today’s scorpions, eurypterids were also armed with claws. They were apex predators during the Paleozoic era, and hunted fish and other invertebrates. Thankfully, they went extinct around 252 million years ago during the Permian extinction, caused by massive volcanic eruptions that reduced oxygen levels and acidified the oceans. Among the most terrifying of predators in Earth’s early history, the ancient eurypterids were part of an eerie world.

#33: Meganeuropsis

Dragonflies today are beautiful and harmless. Their ancient relatives were something else altogether. Meganeuropsis, the largest insect ever known, had a wingspan over 2.5 feet. Alive nearly 300 million years ago, during the Carboniferous period, this giant griffinfly thrived in an atmosphere with higher oxygen levels. This allowed insects to grow to enormous sizes. Meganeuropsis was an aerial predator. It hunted smaller insects and possibly even amphibians, though no direct evidence has been found. Imagine walking down the road, and instead of a crow buzzing through the air, you saw a dragonfly of the same size. That was meganeuropsis. Long extinct, fossils of its massive wings now remain as a relic of a time when the skies were dominated by giant insects.

#32: Sumatran Rhino

Though not technically extinct, with fewer than 80 individuals remaining, the Sumatran rhino is treading the margins of survival. This rhinoceros species is native to Indonesia. It is the smallest and hairiest of all living rhinos. Habitat loss, poaching, and low reproduction rates have pushed the species to the brink. Declared extinct in Malaysia in 2019, the remaining members of the species hang on by a thread in fragmented groups in Sumatra and Borneo. Conservationists are locked in a race with time to save the species through captive breeding programs. Unfortunately, they have found limited success. As of now, the Sumatran rhino is poised to become another heartbreaking entry on the list of fully extinct species.

#31: Quetzalcoatlus

Often mistaken for a dinosaur, this pterosaur was the largest flying animal ever discovered. Soaring over the skies of the late Cretaceous period, Quetzalcoatlus’ wingspans reached up to 36 feet. This is the size of a small airplane. Despite its size, it was a skilled flyer and stalked prey on land, much like a stork. To this day, this prehistoric giant continues to capture the public’s imagination. Named after the Aztec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl, this flying reptile disappeared with the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Its fossils are indicative of an epoch in Earth’s history where animals in flight took many astonishing forms. Though long extinct, Quetzalcoatlus now stands as one of nature’s most jaw-dropping creations.

#30: Barbary Lion

Also known as the Atlas Lion, this animal was once an inhabitant of the deserts and mountains of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and other North African countries. Two were even kept in the Tower of London in the Middle Ages. However, by the mid-1800s, their numbers rapidly declined as firearms and bounties on the majestic creatures increased. According to witnesses, the last sighting of the species was in 1956 near a forest in Algeria. This forest was destroyed during the French-Algerian War in 1958, seemingly finishing the lion’s existence in the wild. But not all hope is lost. Some lions kept in zoos have shown similar DNA to the Barbary, and there are claims some Barbary lions are living in the Belfast Zoo.

#29: Golden Toad

North of Monteverde, Costa Rica is the forest now known as the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. This high-altitude area was once home to an abundance of golden toads. While the males only came in orange, the females had a variety of stunning colors. But as time went on, fewer and fewer of them were seen, with the last known sighting of a golden toad recorded in 1989. In 2004, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the species as extinct. Some scientists believe climate change caused excessive droughts in the forest, pushing their demise. However, this is disputed by other researchers, who speculate disease played a role.

#28: Passenger Pigeon

For centuries, Native Americans hunted the passenger pigeon, or wild pigeon, with no issue. But once Europeans arrived, it all went downhill for the bird species. Some scientists estimate that the pigeon was the most populous species in the world, with over 3 billion of them in the early 1800s. Yet, due to overhunting and the destruction of their habitat, the bird's numbers fell rapidly. In 1900, the last confirmed wild passenger pigeon was hunted. One of the last captive pigeons was Martha. She was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo in 1902. Sadly, in 1914, Martha passed away, and with her, the passenger pigeon species went extinct.

#27: Titanoboa

Today, the largest snake species in the world is the green anaconda, which can be up to 500 pounds and 29 feet long. But back in the middle to late Paleocene epoch about 60 million years ago, the anaconda had nothing on the Titanoboa. This species is believed to have weighed up to 2500 pounds and have a length of up to 47 feet! The Titanoboa was first discovered in Colombia in 2002, where its remains were at first incorrectly identified as crocodile bones. It probably lived throughout South America in rainforests and near fresh water, as its main prey appeared to be fish. Some think that ancient climate change may have caused the demise of the Titanoboa.

#26: Japanese Wolf

For centuries, the Japanese wolf, or Honshū wolf, was a fixture in Japanese folklore and in the wild. Shorter than typical wolves, they could be found all over the islands of Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. Yet by the 1700s, rabies and other such viruses were introduced to Japan and rapidly spread through the wolf population. This sparked mass hunting of the species, causing their numbers to fall drastically. The loss of their habitats didn’t help. In 1905, the last Japanese wolf was killed. While over the years there have been reports of several sightings of them in the region, nothing has been confirmed, and the species is believed to be extinct. In 2021, scientists found the species was the closest ancestor to modern dogs.

#25: Archelon

In the modern day, the leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle species at up to nearly 6 feet and up to 1100 pounds. But back in the Late Cretaceous epoch, around 66 to 100 million years ago, the heavyweight monarch was its ancestor, the Archelon. It could grow up to 15 feet in length and weigh up to 7000 pounds! The Archelon’s remains were first discovered in the late 1800s in South Dakota. Interestingly, the species had a prominent beak, similar to modern eagles. It’s speculated that the changing positions of the seas and the introduction of new predator species led to the demise of the Archelon.

#24: Haast's Eagle

This massive bird called the South Island of New Zealand home for centuries. Weighing up to 33 pounds, it was the largest eagle that ever lived. With a size like that, it needed large prey to feed on with its vulture-like head. And the eagle had that with the moa, a flightless bird. Yet when the Māori people settled on the island around 1300, that all changed. The humans hunted the moa, taking the eagle’s primary food source away. At the species' population height, it was estimated there were up to 4500 breeding pairs. By 1400, the Haast's eagle was extinct.

#23: Rocky Mountain Locust

In 1874, the US and Canada could do nothing as a swarm of trillions of Rocky Mountain locusts covering 2,000,000 square miles swept through the Great Plains. The incredible horde caused millions of dollars of damage to crops and property. The following year, the insects returned, this time only covering around 198,000 square miles as they attacked the western United States. But by 1902, the species seemingly vanished as the last reported sighting of the creature was confirmed. Today, many specimens can be found entombed within Grasshopper Glacier in Montana. Destruction of their habitat and widespread killing of the insects to protect crops likely led to their demise.

#22: Steller’s Sea Cow

Named after the famed naturalist and explorer Georg Wilhelm Steller, the Steller's sea cow called the Bering Sea around the Commander Islands its home. Feasting on mainly kelp, the sirenian could grow up to 30 feet and weigh up to 10 tons. While it’s theorized the species’ population was already dwindling due to a changing climate, Europeans sped up the process dramatically. Due to the creature’s slow movement and plentiful blubber, the sea cow was wiped from existence thanks to hunting within 27 years of Steller describing them in 1747. It’s believed their removal badly damaged the ecosystem, allowing kelp forests to grow out of control which, in turn, block sunlight from reaching deeper waters.

#21: Trilobites

During the Cambrian period, around 570 million years ago, Trilobites first appeared in the ecosystem, as we can see from their fossils found all over the world. This class of arthropods filled the oceans for millennia, since their mineralized exoskeletons protected them from predators and two mass extinctions. However, as the years went on, their numbers declined as the climate rapidly shifted, causing several orders to vanish. By the Devonian period, around 419 million years ago, only one order survived. Once another mass extinction hit during the Permian period, around 252 million years ago, the last order was gone, ending the creatures’ long reign.

#20: Kauaʻi ʻōʻō

On this beautiful Hawaiian island lived the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō. Before European settlers came to the island, the small bird’s population was abundant. But as humans demolished their habitat and introduced all kinds of non-native predators and diseases, the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō’s numbers dropped. This turmoil badly affected other species, leaving the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō as the last bird standing in the Mohoidae family. However, after several severe storms struck the island, the species completely disappeared. The last confirmed sighting of the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō was in 1985, while the final recording of its song was in 1987. In 2023, the species was officially declared extinct.

#19: Dire Wolf

No, not direwolves! Dire wolf! Two words, not one. When it’s one word, it’s a fictional fantasy race that can grow to a massive size. But we’re talking about the other, which although bigger than grey wolves or another extinct subspecies, the Newfoundland wolf, wasn’t quite that huge. Dire wolves inhabited China and North America as recently as 9500 years ago. Of particular note is their bite force, which was the strongest of any known canis species. Because of this, it’s believed that they specialized in hunting large prey, such as the once abundant megafauna that lived in North America. However, with the death of their prey, it’s theorized that the dire wolf followed its food sources into extinction.

#18: Quagga

Despite its adorable name, this subspecies of zebra is no more. Native to South Africa, the quagga became victim to the hunting of early Dutch settlers and later by Afrikaners to provide meat and skins. Disappearing mostly in the 1850s, the wild quagga became officially extinct a few decades later, though some captured ones could be found in zoos. On August 12, 1883, the very last captive specimen died, writing the final entry into the lifespan of this impressive species.

#17: Elephant Bird

Native to Madagascar, these ostrich look-alikes are believed to have come to an end in the 17th or 18th century. While it is not fully known how the birds died out, it’s believed that human activity is the number one suspect. Initially widespread across all areas of the island, there’s evidence of their homes being demolished, while the birds themselves were hunted, which led to their untimely demise. Fossilised eggs of the species have remained and have become an increasingly priceless commodity across museums to this day.

#16: Bear Dog

Look, charging right at us with huge teeth! It’s a bear! It’s a dog! It’s … amphicyon. Popularly known as a bear dog, amphicyon had features like both carnivorous mammals. Although it had a tail and teeth like a wolf or dog, its huge body, which could weigh over half a ton, was more comparable to a bear’s. Thought to have originated in North America, bear dogs spread out over Asia, Europe, and Africa too. Although they lived between 16 and 2 million years ago, the rise of other, swifter mammal carnivores is theorized to have forced them into decline.

#15: Great Auk

A flightless water bird, the great auk once roamed the waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Europe to North America. Generally a little under 3 feet tall and featuring a hooked beak and webbed feet, great auks were strong swimmers, but “auk-ward” on land. Tragically, the great auk was hunted to extinction by humans, with cultures all over the Atlantic killing it for its meat and especially its down, which was in high demand. The last two confirmed great auks were killed on an island near Iceland in 1844. Still, its legacy would live on in other ways, such as its scientific name Pinguinus impennis, which inspired the naming of penguins, given their resemblance.

#14: Short-Faced Bear

Although we considered discussing another extinct bear species, the Atlas bear of Africa, we’re electing to discuss a less recent extinct bear. Short-faced bears were native to North America and came in two species – the lesser short-faced bear and the greater short-faced bear. True to their name, both species had shorter snouts than most bears. However, while the lesser species was comparable in size to modern bears, the greater short-faced bear was a massive 6 feet tall at the shoulder! It could look a tall human in the eye! It was possibly the largest terrestrial mammalian predator to ever live, and some weighed more than a ton! They became extinct around 11,000 years ago, possibly due to global cooling.

#13: Aurochs

The aurochs was a type of wild cattle and is the ancestor of the domestic cattle common today. Compared to modern cattle, they had longer legs and larger heads, no doubt to support the weight of their larger horns. Once found throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, the aurochs gradually died out due to excessive hunting, encroachment by humans, as well as diseases spread from regular cattle. Although they went extinct in 1627, their genes survive in domesticated cattle, and a number of attempts have been made to breed the aurochs, or something like it, back into existence.

#12: Baiji

Commonly referred to as the Chinese river dolphin, the majestic creature could only be found in the Yangtze River in the Asian country where it got its name. Affectionately nicknamed the Goddess of the Yangtze, the Baiji became victim to the growing advances and industrialization of modern China that led to massive water pollution. Repeated efforts were made to conserve the species, but an expedition in 2006 failed to discover any remaining Baiji in the river. The last living Baiji, known as “Qiqi,” died in 2002.

#11: Caspian Tiger

While we considered discussing the also extinct subspecies of tiger from Bali and Java, we’re focusing on the Caspian tiger. As its name implies, they were native to areas near the Caspian Sea and beyond, being found as far west as Turkey and as far east as west China. Of the tiger subspecies, the Caspian tiger was most closely related to the Siberian tiger, although its coat tended to be brighter colored. The cause of its extinction was naturally humans hunting it, although our killing of their food supply, like wild boar, didn’t make it any easier for them to survive. The Caspian tiger was declared extinct in 2003.

#10: Ground Sloth

What once was a unique beast that thrived during the Ice age periods is now known for associating with a dim-witted animated film character. Upon their extinction over 10,000 years ago, it’s believed to be no coincidence that the deaths of the ground sloth are linked to humanity’s entry into the North American regions – though climate change was also a factor. With large and dangerous looking claws, speculation remains to this day about whether this variation of sloth only used them to collect bark from trees, though it’s most likely that these mammals were herbivores.

#9: Western Black Rhino

Several subspecies of black rhinos have gone extinct in recent history, and the most recent is the western black rhinoceros. Once found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic, the western black rhinos were hunted to extinction, both in defense of human population centers and for sport and folk medicine remedies. Despite conservation efforts, the western black rhino was declared extinct in 2011, with the final known specimen dying in 2006. Tragically, the western black was part of an overall decline of black rhinos in general, with a staggering 96% of all subspecies being killed between 1970 and 1992, a mere 22 years.

#8: Moa

New Zealand is fairly isolated from the rest of the world, and this isolation led to the development of some truly strange birds. Moa were once 9 different species of wingless, flightless birds that inhabited the New Zealand archipelago. The smallest were still fairly large birds, around the size of a turkey. The biggest species though, could reach up to 12 feet tall! Naturally, when humans first discovered the islands, the moa were a readily available and large food source. Sadly, every species was hunted to extinction within 100 years of humanity’s arrival in New Zealand, although unconfirmed sightings persisted for several centuries afterwards.

#7: Eurasian Cave Lion

People tend to associate the king of the jungle as a largely African species, but this extinct Eurasian subspecies may prove otherwise. Speculated to have become extinct around 10,000 years ago, these beasts were huge; on average, over 7 feet long without the tail and could weigh seven hundred pounds. Massive in size and a massive tongue twister to say – as their official name is the “Panthera Leo Spelaea,” their fates were sealed when settlers made their way into their homes, and the rest is, as they say, history.

#6: Irish Elk

Despite its name, this species of deer was not exclusive to Ireland, making its way across Eurasia and Northern Africa for thousands of years. The Irish elk is known for being the largest species of deer ever found, as they could have stood at twelve feet with antler height included. Unable to survive subarctic conditions, which caused a lack of good food, it’s been suggested that the last of these deer may have died about eleven thousand years ago in Ireland, hence its given name. Others may have survived the ice age through Europe, but were probably hunted down.

#5: Gigantopithecus

Gigantopithecus is an extinct species of large ape. Estimating its exact appearance and size has proven difficult, because only their jaws and teeth have been discovered. From these remains, it’s believed they were herbivores and weighed somewhere between 400 pounds and over half a ton. Originally thought to have been an ancestor of humans, gigantopithecus is now thought to be more closely related to orangutans. Native to what is now southern China, gigantopithecus went extinct around 300,000 years ago, with changing climate the likely culprit. Still, there are those who believe gigantopithecus may be the origin behind legends like the yeti or Bigfoot, so who knows if they’re all gone or not…

#4: Dodo

Most of us have seen the animated movie “Ice Age”; you can recall a joke that implied this famous bird died out during that time period, but this is actually untrue. Due to their hunting by Dutch sailors that had arrived on the island of Mauritius, the flightless bird became extinct; however, their official extinction was only confirmed in the 19th century, despite their increasing rarity in the 17th century. Slow and unafraid of humans, the dodo was only a little over 3 feet tall and between 25-45 pounds but achieved contemporary fame by appearing in pop culture, like Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

#3: Saber-Toothed Cat

Misleadingly known as a saber-toothed tiger, these predators were vastly known far and wide for their curved and massive canine teeth. Despite officially having the “cat” in their name, they’re not closely related to the modern animals and were in fact more agile, choosing to pounce from trees and then attacking with their almost foot-long teeth. With the Smilodon being the most well-known, these mammals’ vicious nature proved to be their downfall at the end of the last Ice Age, as most of their chosen prey had either died out or had ironically been hunted by the cats themselves. Thus the saber-tooth cat became extinct through its own means of hunting.

#2: Megalodon

Sharks have long fascinated people and a giant shark? Well, that’s even more interesting for some … and more terrifying for others. Swimming the deep as recently as 3.6 million years ago, megalodon shares a common ancestor with the great white shark, and they’re generally reconstructed to appear similar to them. Still, while they may look like a great white, their size is even greater, with some estimates putting them at up to 52 feet long. Their extinction is believed to have been caused primarily by a cooling trend from one of the planet’s ice ages, which would have lowered sea levels and led to a loss of prey large enough to sustain them.

#1: Woolly Mammoth

Truly one of the animal giants, it remains the greatest shame that this mammoth species is no longer with us. Surviving through the Ice Age thanks to its obvious woolly exterior, the mammoths coexisted with human life for years in the new world, along with the similarly elephantine mastodon. Humanity found many uses for the bones of the prehistoric elephant, such as utilizing them for tools and using them in making homes. However, long-term shifts in climate seems to have affected the mammoths’ native lands and safety, leading them to migrate to other pastures. Finally, the creatures made their last stand on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean, surviving until four thousand years ago, and finally concluding their existence.

Which extinct animal do you wish you could see alive today? Let us know in the comments below and don’t forget to subscribe for more jaw-dropping lists.