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Extinction

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A honey bee flying back to its hive with pollen in its pollen basket.

What Is Extinction?

Extinction is when the last member of a group of plants or animals passes away. This means there are no more of that group left to make new babies. Sometimes, scientists find out a group has disappeared by looking at old bones or records. It can be a surprise when a group thought to be gone is found again!

Famous Extinct Animals

Many animals that lived long ago are no longer around. Some famous extinct animals include non-avian dinosaurs, saber-toothed cats, and mammoths. These animals lived in different times and places, and they disappeared for many reasons.

Why Do Species Disappear?

Species can disappear when they cannot change to fit their world or when they cannot find enough food. Sometimes, changes happen very fast, like when a place becomes too dirty for animals to live. Other times, it is slow, like when animals cannot find food because others are better at getting it. Scientists work very hard to protect animals that might disappear. They keep some in special places and help them make new babies.

Protecting Our World

Today, many scientists worry that humans are causing many animals to disappear. This can happen when forests are cut down or when animals do not have enough space to live. Groups like the Worldwide Fund for Nature and governments work to protect animals. They make rules to help animals live safely and to keep our world beautiful for all creatures.

Images

An illustration of Thylacinus cynocephalus, an extinct animal also known as the Tasmanian tiger.
A Golden toad, an amphibian species that once lived in Costa Rica, shown on a leaf in its natural habitat.
Fossil exhibit of Palaeotherium magnum at the Museum of Natural History.
Illustration of Darwin's finches, showcasing different bird species from the Galapagos Islands.
An ancient fossil of Lepidodendron from Ohio, showing plant remains from millions of years ago.
Fossilized skeletons of different dinosaurs displayed in a museum.
A 17th-century painting showing a Dodo bird and other parrot species, offering a glimpse into the world of extinct animals through historic art.
Illustration of a male Passenger Pigeon, an extinct bird species.
A scenic view of the hills near Santa Fe in Panama, showcasing the natural landscape and some areas affected by deforestation.
A chart showing how the world's wild mammals are spread out and their weight in carbon, helping us learn about animal populations and nature.
A scientific illustration of a Tyrannosaurus rex, based on skeletal reconstruction and research.
Scientific drawing comparing the jaw of a living Indian elephant with the fossil jaw of a mammoth, from a historical research paper by Georges Cuvier.
A historical scientific sketch from 1812 showing the reconstructed skeleton of Anoplotherium, an extinct ancient mammal.

Related articles

Non-avian dinosaurs
Saber-toothed cats
Mammoth
Worldwide Fund for Nature

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Extinction, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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