You should make a book like this yourself. Im sure that you could make a much more detailed version that included more species and facts. And I know we would all love having it in our collections.
The destruction of Tenochtitlan and subsequent draining of Lake Texcoco is in my opinion one of the greatest cultural, historical, and ecological losses in history. I can only imagine what Mexico City would look like if it was built around the lake, with the old city and the old dams intact. It wouldn’t be sinking, at the very least
Just imagining Aztec pyramids, floating houses, farms, canals and aqueducts is an insane image, and that just the architecture. All of the culture and history to go along with it, which is a lot harder to quantify, is also mostly lost, and it would also be extremely interesting considering all they achieved.
I know that it would be a titanic task and that probably none of our current politicians would be interested, but I would like Mexico to encourage a slow depopulation of the area to let the lake eventually return Something like giving incentives to migrate to other nearby cities like Puebla or something like that, and maybe in more than 100 years the lake could return
@@elqueobserva7663 they can’t just abandon the historical and cultural sites in Mexico City. What little ruins of Tenochtitlan we still have would be well underwater if the lake was still here, not to mention all of the colonial and postcolonial historic sites in Modern Mexico City.
I always cry internally whenever the recently extinct animals are mentioned. Although it is important to remember them, it's sad to think there were even more animals until recently.
Fun Fact & Good News; The Blue Pike is slowly making a comeback, its not a separate species, but a color variation of the native Walleye. This color variation was wiped out in the 60s-80s but local fishermen in the Great Lakes and surrounding estuaries have been catching walleye with more and more blue coloration as the recessive trait is slowly working its way back!
A cousin of the Walleye, Yellow Perch also carry the same mutation which sometimes appears in some lakes. Look up Blue Perch. Very pretty. The gene seems to be dominant or incompletely dominant which would explain why it seemed to be represented by an entire sub-demographic of Walleye in the past.
Surprised at no mention to Stellar's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas). The largest sirenian in the world at the time of its existence, they were dugong the size of small whales that inhabited only the Aleutian island chain of Alaska at the time of their discovery during the Bering expedition. An organism so unique and large would likely be a big tourism draw if they still lived. Interestingly, there is evidence that supports that the sea cow was already on its last proverbial legs at the time of it's hunting to extinction within 30 years of its discovery. In some well-preserved fossil samples it was found that the Aleutian island sea cows had very low genetic diversity suggestive of inbreeding. It is believed from this that the sea cow had already lost the majority of its population from the sea level rise at the end of the last ice age. They were positively buoyant and so when sea levels increased they could no longer feed on the seagrass at the bottom.
@@everettduncan7543 There's evidence that it ranged from the Commander Islands to the western Aleutian Islands into recent times, though it was only directly observed by Europeans near the former.
Your discussion of fish & crustacean extinctions is a great illustration of the freshwater biodiversity crisis that is happening in north america. I think the extinction rate is something like 10x the terrestrial extinction rate for freshwater species. Especially in the eastern US, there are also a lot of species (especially mussels) which are already extinct or are headed there, since this area is a world center of mussel biodiversity and these species are highly reliant on specific streams and systems, since they've had a very long time to develop and speciate in these areas (the appalacians are an old ecosystem/mountain range)
Being from Arkansas, most discussions on biodiversity center around freshwater mussels and crayfish in the Ozarks. Lots of endemic species in those freshwater streams, and lots of recent development happening in towns like Fayetteville and Bentonville.
Being that I'm from the area, I also have to mention the Florida Fairy Shrimp. Its story is pretty similar to the Ainsworth Salamander. It was found in the 50s by (I believe) UF researchers in a pond a little south of Gainesville. But when more researchers went to this same pond, it had already been filled in for development. No more fairy shrimp.
@@goosenotmaverick1156 They are destroyed SO THAT more people get to experience them. We assume we have the right to see everything and know everything, but every person over the age of 50 wanting to retire to "paradise" means paving more and more of it over. Not to mention fueling absolutely deranged politics (tourism feeds corruption and dictatorship like nothing else because what else are you gonna do, vacation in Ohio?).
@@gearandalthefirst7027oh yes, the famous dictatorships of France, Italy, USA, Spain and Greece 😂 Also what you're talking about is immigration is it not?
This man's drive to educate folks on TH-cam seems to continuously provide a deeper and more comprehensive understanding about things than multiple publication firms. Research and academic institutions need to be paying attention to every video this channel uploads.
The problem is that European wildlife was devastated a lot earlier in the timeline. You can do it, but it gets harder and herder to find good information, simple because the longer ago, the less humans cared about things like that, at least in a systemic way.
@@martijn9568 I mean, there were also Lions and Mammoths in the Americas too - the video focuses on Modern extinctions, so this video would also be long if we included Pleistocene Fauna from the US. (Even if we just included megafauna like Ground Sloths, Steppe Bison, etc, it still would be lengthy!) I think the issue with European extinct animals is just how connected it is to the other parts of the world so what might have been a common sight in Europe may have been summer visitors from Africa or Asia (such as the thriving Hoopoe) or initially non-endemic and haven't evolved enough to be classed as a separate species (similar to the point below, but not exactly the same point I'm trying to make - the below being kinda a minor/pedantic detail, so ignore if you want lol) There can also be animals that were **initially** labelled as a subspecies and then classed as extinct, but later analysed and found to be too genetically similar to species it was supposed to branch from, that they're no longer verified to be a subspecies (such as the Cyprus Dipper). I struggle with formulating words, so I just want to apologise if it's hard to understand, and clarify this is not an attack on your idea
Our government in the UK passed a law in 2022 that allows private water companies to dump raw sewage into our river systems 24 hours per day 7 days per week. We now have by far the worst water quality of anywhere in Europe and animals are dying out.
Also, having a section on recently extinct animals in a book about all the wildlife of a place makes sense just in case the species didn't actually go extinct after all! Although unlikely, it's not impossible that some might have survived, and their pictures being in a book like these could help people find them.
I live in Eastern Tennessee, and I enjoy kayaking the numerous rivers in the area! The number of fresh water mussels that inhabit the rivers of Appalachia is fascinating because mussels are something many of us just associate with salt water. It's so cool to watch the river bottom as you glide down the river on a kayak, and the river beds are brimming in white for miles and miles. I really didn't know until recently how many are endangered and have gone extinct.
When I went to Tennessee on vacation one of the rivers leading up to a waterfall was low enough that you could actually walk on the exposed rock slabs. The sheer number of shells was insane. Must have been raccoon heaven. Seeing just how much life there's supposed to be in our river systems was definitely eye opening. Here in Indiana you're lucky if you see any shells at all.
This is great coverage of the extinct animals of North America I would love to see an Episode on the endangered species of North America next. Or an episode on the extinct species of the North American Ice Age
@@pierrebegley2746 Yeah, while the recent extinctions are bad, it is shocking just how many large animals existed in North America before humans, and almost all did not make it.
I think an important takeaway is that agriculture ultimately was responsible for many of these extinctions and that many of them happened without heavy industrialization of the area at all
Not being charismatic is a major issue in animal conservation. It's why they offer for you to adopt a panda or giraffe or a tiger. But no one is out there saying save the leeches. It's a testament to human shallowness that even the animals we want to save have to be asthetically pleasing for us to care.
That's called an umbrella species. You take an animal that people could care about so that you can get funding and public interest in saving a species so that you can pay for and support programs that protect other less cared about species (like leeches or insects).
Apparently recently there been a trail cam footage released that allegedly showed an Arizona Jaguar, which I’m really hoping it is, because jaguars are some of my favorite panthera species
Yeah, pretty sure the jaguar that showed up was a new one found as well. Jaguars still visit from Mexico from time to time. Some are even speculated to live in Arizona. Now if find these big cats interesting, let me tell you another about another species. We here in Arizona once had a parrot native to the state, they lived in one of the Beautiful sky islands (mountains that are like islands in a sea of desert). They were once found at least in the Chiricahua mountains. Anyhow they were eventually extirpated from Arizona by over hunting and loss of habitat. They're now only found in the very same mountains that had the Imperial woodpecker. The Arizona game and fish tried to reintroduce the parrot back into the mountains, but the attempt failed. They mentioned they wanted to try again back in 2020, but I at least haven't heard anything about it since.
I'd expect that - given proper conditions - jaguars from Mexico would migrate into Arizona, establishing themselves throughout the range of their extinct kin. Heck, there's similar stuff happening with pumas in the Eastern US with a mix of migrations and animals that escaped captivity.
Zoologist and Botanist here, not even including plants, there's still MANY wonderful animals you list still misses, such as the eastern wolf, all of the mussel species that are extinct, Steller's Sea Cow, and so so much more that was either missed or skipped over. In addition, for the love of everything ecological and for the sake of biodiversity, please do not disregard subspecies as "just subspecies", that's like saying the northern and the southern tiger don't count even though the sumatran population of the southern tiger subspecies and the amur population of the northern tiger subspecies are drastically different.
Regarding the sea mink, your assertion that "the only other member of the weasel family known to live aquatic, or even semiaquatic lives, are otters," is untrue. The sea mink is survived by its extant cousins, the American and European mink. Both are semiaquatic. Good video though :) its just when you know a lot about a specific subject (weasels) and hear someone say something incorrect about it, publicly, it's impossible to continue with your life until you've gotten that off their chest
I think he meant mink in general. Also, despite their names, American and European mink are part of separate genera. With the European mink being part of the Mustela genus, alongside weasels, polecats, ferrets, ermines, and stoats. Meanwhile, the American mink is part of the genus Neogale, a genus whose only other member was the now extinct sea mink.
@@beastmaster0934 I figured he may have intended to say that, but whatever his intentions, the actual words he said did not make any reference to mink as a group. A viewer unfamiliar with the matter would not be able to infer the existence and semiaquatic nature of other species of mink from this video alone. And, yes, I was aware of the paraphyly of mink, but chose not to bring it up because I didn't consider it relevant. I referred to the two other species of mink not because they are also called "mink," but because they are also semiaquatic non-otter mustelids. Incidentally, Neogale is more populous than you think, and includes a handful of extant American weasel species in addition to the American and sea mink.
It was also a mistake to say that the sea mink was the largest member of the weasel family (Mustelidae). Wolverines and at least some badgers are larger.
Awesome! Glad your back sir! One thing to note, you highlighted the Ohio and Wabash rivers North from the confluence at Cairo, IL instead of the actual Mississippi River up to Minnesota. Thought on future video.. Maybe map where invasive species got introduced and how far they have spread.
That would be a challenge of a video all right! As someone who has done a ton of research on the origin of invasive species, the specifics of most species is unknown. There are also so so many... but a video on just a few would be interesting too
Seriously, not only would it be cool to have a temperate climate parakeet, but we didn't even WANT to get rid of them. Didn't eat them, didn't want to develop their habitat (until after they were extinct), and appreciated them eating cockleburs. But those darn European bird diseases . . .
I mean imagine. A parrot roaming your American bird feeder alongside Northern Cardinals and Chipping Sparrows. Being sneaky and intelligent, they could snatch a sip of nectar from a feeder next to ruby-throated hummingbirds. They ranged all the way to Pennsylvania so even Northerners could enjoy them
A few months ago I bought a poster of the Carolina Parakeet. (I think it’s one of Audubon’s pieces). Right now I’m studying in the hopes of becoming a conservation biologist, and I keep the poster in my room as a reminder of what I’m fighting for (or more accurately what I’m fighting to prevent.)
I dont think you could even fit all the beetles of America in that book lol Ok after some comments I did actually look it up and theres said to be around 30 000 beetles species in North America dang
If there ever is a part 2 for North America, I think the Caribbean Monk Seal is a must-add species given its range, there are also some Mexican rodents that weren't discussed in the video like Peromyscus pembertoni, and Oryzomys nelsoni which might be good additions to the extinct mammal species. There were also a couple of red wolf subspecies that might be cool to discuss, especially given the taxonomic battle red wolves have had in recent decades. (hope this speeds up the research lol)
Although having unwanted wildlife in your area is somewhat counter productive, having a good/diverse ecosystem does a great deal for human culture and mental/spiritual/emotional well being. Its a shame this is becoming less common in some places.
I put out mineral blocks on my property and such to attract it, I have at least 8 deer that bed down on the hill above my house on average 4 days a week, usually more, especially during warmer months. The crows also love the mineral blocks as do all the bird species really. Not sure what else gets to em, but I rather enjoy encouraging them to be around. In spring I'm planting some sacrificial crops around the perimiter of my garden so they have snacks and hopefully leave the rest be. I haven't had an issue yet but I have only been here two years and had a garden the first time last year. It's a matter of time before the neighborhood animals find the snacks. 😂 I love watching em all. The deer don't mind me so long as we don't make eye contact if I'm within 50ft. Then the huff and run off. I don't intentionally get that close, for the record. Honestly terrified to be charged by a young spike with something to prove 😂
Great video, I just wanted to mention that Dryocopus woodpeckers arent that closely related to Campephilus woodpeckers despite their superficial resemblance. The Ivory Billed woodpecker has close relatives still around in Central and South America, like the Pale-billed and Cream billed woodpeckers.
I was sad about the lack of mentions to the loss of the native dogs of North America. I wouldn't have mentioned it, but all of the wolf subspecies got mentioned, and the unique and lost dogs of America deserve that same level of respect in my eyes.
Another amazing vid! An amazing way to start the new years and I'm loving that you're putting all the old footage in as well. Now it's really making it a much more impactful video and I just love the music and the video quality of the old nature tapes
I think it would have been cool to see some plants as most people when they think of extinct or extiction think of the animals because they move and breathe and are seen as alive while the plants are not really thought about because they 'dont do that' but they do they grow and move, they eat and breathe just not in the same way animals do.
I am always so quick to watch your videos as they come out. These will live on to become timeless classics. Thanks for the effort you put into this. I truly love what you do.
Do we know they was a subspecies? Has a pelt etc been DNA tested, historically they would have been classified based on morphology, not the most reliable method, could have just been melanistic Red Wolf (Canis rufus), the melanistic trait could have been introduce into the Florida Red Wolf (Canis rufus) population by native peoples Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris), similar to that of the Carolina dog that more often are more yellow tones, but can be found in black.
I’ve been looking through something recently and I think you might like it. Could you make a video about where modern mammal groups come from, and wha had been filling their niche beforehand? I’ve been looking into it and finds it fascinating. There are apparently multiple extinct non-placental and non-marsupials therian mammals convergently evolving to fill the niche of modern day predators on much of Gondwana whether that be insular india, South America or even Antarctica and this seems like an amazing topic.
Just passing by saying thanks - found this channel while searching for some references for my novel just so that even if I don't present expert inference, I don't write exact nonsense either. Your channel has been so enormously helpful and fun to watch!
I have it, but i wasn't able to get though it cuz im a firm imperial sceptic and just as firm ivory bill believer and the fact the imperials extinct made me depressed.
23:28 if you ever cover the wolf/moose predatory relationship in depth, may I suggest Isle Royal? It’s a very isolated environment (being an island) that we have documented for decades at this point.
I did my senior thesis in college about the Northeastern Minnesota Moose Population. There are so many interesting factors effecting these large mammals. Isle Royale is a great place to study about this as well.
how did you not lose your mind with sadness and grief while making this video? i’m actually crying just from watching it. there’s so much we’ve lost already, and so much more we’ll continue to lose. entire species just GONE. and it feels like nobody cares sometimes. how can you convince someone that a mollusk they’ve never heard of is important, unless they already believe that all life is sacred just because it exists? idk it just breaks my heart.
Amazing video!!! More people need to talk about this, it’s sad how many species have been all but forgotten. One thing I did want to bring up is that Plethodon ainsworthi is probably not a valid taxon, and at the moment seems much more likely to just be a poorly preserved specimen(s) of P. mississippi. This would make sense on a few levels as “Slimy Salamander complex” Plethodons are usually relatively resistant to disturbances short of the complete uprooting of a forest. P. mississippi also occurs over the entire possible range of P. ainsworthi, and it would be unusual for two species in that complex to exist at the same site as they could probably readily hybridize. There are also no examples of near site endemic Plethodons in the general region, which makes me cast even more doubt. Ultimately, we’ll probably never know for sure though because the surviving specimen is so roached that it’s impossible to be certain. If weren’t careful a few of our currently extant salamanders might be gone before we know it though!
A lot of the mammal subspecies listed, like eastern elk, eastern cougar, and several of the wolves listed, are no longer considered valid subspecies by modern science. But I think their inclusion anyways is really important in understanding just how much humans have shifted the populations of these animals in only the past 400 years or so, many wild areas we may see as “healthy” are missing so many key players in their ecosystems.
The list would probably be larger if you considered "dead species walking", species that have been extirpated to such an extent that their population numbers foretell inevitable extinction. The vaquita will soon die.
It goes back much further than that, actually. Wolves and bison are not “pinnacles of North American wildlife”, they’re what’s left of a far more vibrant ecosystem that once included horses, camels, shrub-oxen, giant sloths, glyptodonts, cave lions, sabre-toothed cats, short-faced bears, mammoths, mastodons, teratorns, and so many other species wiped out by humans. No Holocene ecosystem was ever “intact” or “healthy”.
Arizona almost lost the apache trout too, it was fished nearly to extinction in the early 1900s. Miraculously, conservation efforts began and work was started on reintroducing it to the white mountains waters it came from. Now their range is rapidly returning to what it was 100s of years ago.
I’d like it if you just quickly put up the names of things like the 9 extinct Central American frogs. This way if you aren’t going to give much explanation, we can find it on our own more easily.
I often finding myself thinking of how many endemic species died before the general world realized it for what it was. The waterways of North America before settlers could have been full of unique trout and salmon species that we will never know about.
I consider the Carolina Parakeet to be the biggest lost that North America faced; It beautifully represented the subtropical climate of the American South and its rich inhabitants.
Lake Texcoco was definitely not untouched by humans before the establishment of Mexico City. Texcoco was the site of Tenochtitlan, the center of the Aztec Empire.
I wish you would’ve gone into more detail about the mollusks and showed them on the final map. They are out of all the species on this list some of the most important for our ecological future.
Benjamin Sisko would be sad to hear about all of those ciscos going extinct. As for wolves, it's a good thing that we're reintroducing them into certain ecosystems, since the lack of wolves has indeed led to an explosion and overabundance of deer, far more than mere human hunters can deal with.
I appreciated the section on the Dusky Seaside Sparrow. I worked at Merritt Island Nat'l Wildlife Refuge for a couple years and the biologists still talk about it. Thought I'd add a few details to the story in case anyone else is interested. Merritt Island was mostly swamp but it wasn't uninhabited when construction began on the space center. The government "bought" the land from people living there...aka seized it via eminent domain. There are multiple fallow citrus groves with trees that still produce fruit and some scattered abandoned homesteads. There's a kumquat tree at one of the homesteads, probably the best fruit I've ever had. Mosquito management is the main reason the Dusky Sparrow went extinct. The swamps at Merritt Island naturally filled and drained with water over the course of the year, leaving exposed mudflats which the native mosquitos need to reproduce. Workers went on strike during construction because the mosquitoes were so bad. So the government built dikes to keep water in the swamp year-round in an attempt to reduce mosquito populations. They also used DDT like you mentioned. It worked to reduce the number of mosquitos (not much, they're still horrible), but also drastically changed the habitat. The upside to all of this is that there are now large bodies of shallow water all over the island which hundreds of thousands of waterfowl use during their annual migrations. It's a critical habitat for them now because most of the interior bodies of water in Florida they used to visit no longer provide them with the food they need for their migration due to human development. So it's not all bad. There's another endangered bird living at the refuge - the Florida Scrub Jay. They live in the dry scrub habitat on the island, so weren't affected as much by the development. However, it's unclear how long the Merritt Island population will last since their habitat is so fragmented, both on the island itself and across the state as a whole. Thanks for the video!
If you do decide to map all the extinct species of the neo-tropics (Central and South America), Can you please take extra note of the most devastated genus of animal of modern times, that is the Harlequin Toads of the genus Atelopus. This once large family of nearly a hundred species inhabited the streams of the highland paramos, lowland rainforests and especially cloud forest’s from as for north from Costa Rica to Bolivia in the south and as far east as French Guiana. These toads once had an extreme variability in coloration and pattern’s that ranged from bright orange, red, yellow, green, black, grey, white, brown and even purple and pink. Especially in the case Costa Rican Harlequin Toad (Atelopus Varius) where even within populations themselves, individual harlequin toads had a dramatic range of coloration and patternization within the same population that some now think may have actually been separate species. But sadly in the 1980’s the Chytrid Fungus was introduced to the neo-tropics and utterly devastated this entire genus of toad, along with habitat destruction a majority of this genus been feared extinct although thankfully a handful of species have been rediscovered alive and some have been placed into captive breeding programs to ensure their survival.
It is comforting knowing that picking up 30 year old books at yard sales doesn’t give you the completeness of information that the entire internet can provide.
A couple notes: - 22:41, The Cascadia wolf subspecies' home range is now in the process of being replaced by grey wolves moving west from Idaho (probable subspecies: C. l. occidentalis) and south from B.C. (probable subspecies: C. l. columbianus). However, do to how well wolves travel long distances, subspecies classification among grey wolves is notoriously difficult, and where genetic testing has been possible, it's usually further restricted subspecies classifications (although it's also (sometimes) supported the creation of two distinct wolf species - the red wolf (C. rufus, with three possible subspecies) and the eastern timber wolf (C. lycaon)). There have been as many as 27 grey wolf subspecies and as few as 5, though I suspect the real number is somewhere in between. It's possible that all the wolf subspecies that you mentioned occuring in the US and eastern Canada are all actually a part of the (currently extant) great plains wolf (C. l. nubilus), or that the subspecies you mentioned are actually valid - it currently depends on whether you're reading material from taxonomic "lumpers" or "splitters", and while genetics is helping to shed some light on subspecies, they are not immune to "lumpers" and "splitters" (debates on how much genetic drift is needed to turn a distinct population into a subspecies or subspecies into distinct species are alive and very healthy). You could do an entire video on the differences between populations, subspecies, species, and hybridizations using just North American canids in the genus Canis as an example! If interested, I can rummage through my monographs and articles on Canis evolution, ecology, and genetics. - 24:29, There are three extant genera of semi-aquatic mustelids in North America: the sea otter, genus Enhydra, the river otter, genus Lontra, and some members of the genus Neogale (specifically, the extinct sea mink and the extant American mink). The sea otter is more closely related to the speckle-throated otter of Africa than the American river otter. Interestingly, there used to be an Atlantic sea otter (E. reevei) that went extinct around 2 million years ago. The sea mink may have been evolving to take over the role of the Atlantic sea otter before its untimely extinction. Also, the sea mink was the largest member of the genus Neogale (which has been recently separated from Mustela, the genus now holding almost all mustelids commonly called weasels as well as the European mink), but not the largest mustelid in North America - that distinction goes to the sea otter (who is also the heaviest mustelid in the world. the longest mustelid is probably the giant river otter). - 35:21, The marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a small Alcidea seabird that lives along the pacific northwest. It's pretty unique in that it's the only seabird I know of the nests exclusively in trees - and not just any trees, but specifically in coastal old-growth trees that are no further than 59 miles (95 km) from the ocean, have horizontal, moss covered branches at least 14 in (36 cm) in diameter and have an open space below the nest branch that is long enough for the bird to basically fall off its branch and build up enough speed to take off. It doesn't build a nest, but it's egg has evolved a mottled pattern that perfectly camouflages it on its mossy branch (a nest-like structure does form after the chick hatches, but this is due to the chick defecating and gradually shifting in its little depression, making a wall of feces around itself before it fledges). The adults have a typical alcid plumage of countershaded black and white, but their breeding plumage is a marbled white, black, grey, and brown in order to camouflage during nesting. I mention all of this because during my training for marbled murrelet surveys, I was told that if all the coastal old growth forest habitats went extinct and all that we had left were museum specimens of marbled murrelets in breeding and non breeding plumage as well as egg shells, we'd be able to reconstruct many of the important features of coastal old-growth forests based on the physical characteristics of the marbled murrelet museum specimens and comparisons with long-billed murrelets. While the marbled murrelet is endangered, it still tells us a lot about an ecosystem that we're rapidly losing - the coastal temperate rainforests of North America.
The author of that book had to draw the line somewhere. You have only gone back so far as well. We know of natives being here for over 10,000 years now. Plus, the ice ages caused the lose of a ton of keynote species that were endemic to North America.
I think the only reason the book might not contain too many animals or info might depend on publishing date and research. These books are only published years after the last one ofc. They might not be updated by latest findings yet. Maybe you can help in this regards some day.
For one of my college classes we visited a museum with preserved remains of birds, including a Labrador Duck and Carolina Parakeet. We've lost some truly magical creatures in such a short time
I swear your new video is always better than your last one. I think it would be cool to do a plant version of this as well, as I noticed the Great Plains were largely excluded from the map. I know at least a few species had to have gone extinct with all the large scale farming. Great work, and keep it up!
Steller's sea cow. Though not strictly N. American in range, it is now extinct. It ranged from Baja California up to Alaska, Aleutian Islands, NE Siberia and down to northern Japan. It should also be in the RD book.
It's bad enough when humans accidentally cause the extinction of animals they barely even knew existed, but it's much more offensive to me when they go out of their way to exterminate them, like they tried to do with wolves and Imperial woodpeckers, among other things. Far too many people who don't think at all about the future or any kind of consequences!
The book is pretty old and a lot has changed taxonomically-wise. Quite a few of the fishes were either synonymized, subspecies or even variations or local extirpations of populations. Sea Mink is now known as Neogale macrodon and a lot of the mammals here are variations or local populations (some not even subspecies like the eastern cougar). Some were rediscovered.
A quick good news aside on gray wolves, most of those subspecies likely aren’t valid, with there likely having been no more than 6 or so actually existing, all of which are still extant. Red and eastern wolves are an entirely different kettle of fish. In addition, Dawson’s caribou, eastern elk, Badland’s bighorn, Arizona jaguar, eastern cougar, Mexican grizzly bear, and California grizzly bear are no longer considered valid subspecies, with Dawson’s caribou being lumped with barren-ground caribou, eastern elk with Rocky Mountain elk, Badlands bighorn with Rocky Mountain bighorn, eastern cougar with North American cougar (which also includes the no longer valid Florida panther), jaguars became a fully monotypic species, and both bears being lumped under the grizzly bear
There are luckily no species of reptile that have been driven to complete extinction, only regional. However the bog turtle might as well be considered functionally extinct
in fact most of Meso America and the Caribbean is a transitional zone between the Neo arctic and the Neo tropics indicated as such by both the fauna and the flora
Humans lived in and along lake Texcoco for a long time and co-existed with the flora and fauna , simply skipping and saying “Mexico city was established” is the total erasure of pre-Colombian civilization. It was because spainisb colonial authorities drained lake texcoco that the birds population fell , not because “humans came along and made Mexico City”
Seconding this comment! The latest consensus suggests that humans have inhabited the Americas for 20,000 years. To suggest that simple human presence alone is responsible for the extinction of the Slender Billed Grackle is to completely ignore the sheer level of collateral damage caused by European colonizers in their attempts to permanently and irrevocably alter and erase native peoples' way of life. See also: Buffalo culling, clearing of old growth forests, the burning of Aztec libraries, commandeering and/or destructiom of various cultural heritage sites, and more.
Great video! Learned a lot, just wanted to let you know the early graphic that highlighted the Mississippi River did not follow the river correctly, it starts in Minnesota.
Well, some of the "extinct" fish happen to turn up in really exexpected places. There was a video on TH-cam from an aquatic wildlife hobbyist who found that a fish species declared extinct in his area, he was able to find in the ponds of a golf course within its original habitat range, but the depth of wildlife never found them because it was on private land. Also, there are allegedly pike in a manmade reservoir in northeast Ohio called Mosquito Lake, but I don't know what species.
Not to mention these are typically small fish that have other similar looking species in the area. And they're underwater where things are much harder to find.
I still have my childhood copy of the Reader's Digest Guide on my shelf (minus the long-destroyed paper dust jacket). It was one of the books that put me on a life-long path to exploring nature, so I feel compelled to defend it just a little. Do note that the "Guide" in the title earmarks it as a field guide, even if it doesn't explicitly say so within the cover. The ads of the time certainly described it as such. As you mentioned, it was intended to aid a novice in identifying animals encountered on hikes and such. Because of its purpose, there was no need to describe extinct species (and even Marty Stouffer was describing the ivory-billed woodpecker as "almost certainly extinct" in the 80s), nor species whose differences are only readily observed within arm's length. That said, I totally agree with your statement about the importance of understanding extinct species, for the preservation of current ones. There are still an alarming number of species facing the same sort of challenges, and knowing where we failed may give glimpses toward success. By the way: I also loved the artwork that went into this video. They really looked like pics that might have been found in that book, and were delightfully nostalgic! Great video across the board! This is my first from you, and I'm an instant subscriber!
True and that is why it is important to talk with people you know in real life and any officials you have the privilege of voting for about this. Tell people (in real life) about the moral and economic importance of conservation!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has recently decided to not be considered extinct, citing alleged sightings in the last couple decades.
Great video, will be watching it again, love your work from Australia, I've always been intrigued with the fate of the Carolina Parakeet, though there is another North American parrot that doesn't often get a mention , the Thick - billed Parrot from the highlands of central Mexico was recorded as being a non - breeding visitor to the mountains of southern Arizona and south - western New Mexico , I'm referring to " Parrots of the World" Joseph M Forshaw in the general notes a section reads..." In late historic times they have been known as irregular visitors, ...a large flock, estimated to contain between 700 to 1000 birds was observed by miners at Bonita Park in the Chirichua Mountains , south - eastern Arizona , in August 1904" the text continues on to say that there was "large - scale" sightings in 1917-18, 1922 and 1935 " though rumours persisted until 1945" Another interesting story , the clearing of the pine forests being the final straw in the tale of they're visits
I think a video on invasive plants and animals that has had the greatest effect on the ecology of North America would be interesting. Animals such as Starlings and many plants like English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberrys.
Early humans still caused what we can consider mass extinctions. For example here in Argentina the Glyptodon survived until around 11 thousand years ago when it was drove to extinction by the arrival of humans. The species we know of are the ones that achieved some sort of balance with the natives. Still i agree that industrial and capitalist society is worse when it comes to causing mass extinctions
@@NACHOXXX4 Most noticeably the Maori, the natives of New Zealand, also caused mass extinction of local wildlife by (over-)hunting and invasive species, especially (great) birds, and they only arrived a couple hundred years before the Europeans, not thousands of years earlier like in most regions. As a result, we may know a bit more of those species than in other regions. However, like you suggested, the scale of extinction caused by industrialization and modern development is unprecedented, barring more natural events millions of years ago.
Very cool video. The Chestnut Casebearer Moth was actually rediscovered in Massachusetts and is fairly widespread. They don't need old mature trees to feed, the larva can also feed on the bushy trees caused by the blight. It makes you wonder if the other chestnut relying moths are still out there.
New Brunswicker here. I had zero idea about the Sea Mink, and learning about it broke my heart. When you said the last ones died on Campobello Island, I got goosebumps. So sad.
These are just known major extinct species and from the last 200 years. Doesn't even account for the numerous amounts that we do not know about. I'd argue Stellar's Sea Cow & Caribbean Monk Seal should also be a mention in the mammals section.
I LOVED looking through this book as a kid! Hours spent looking through the birds and mammals and trying to find which bug I found in the backyard in the book. I found it recently at a resale place and even though it might be a bit outdated it's still great to look at. A new edition of the book with extinctions included would be awesome.
Thanks for bring it into the light, we all know that there are many extinction but that certainly brings home the message. Excellent content love your channel.
I had a little moment of excitement when you made a point about the loss of Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) Stoneflies (Plecoptera) and Caddisflies (Trichoptera), groups which make up the EPT index for water pollution quality! Their extinction says a lot about what is happening to our water supply
When I saw the little blue butterflies, I was like wait a minute; I see those little guys all the time in the fall. Like tiny blue moths. Turns out those are a different species but look almost identical
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
It would be really cool if you continue this series with other continents
Australasia would be so interesting
Hawaii gets its own episode for two reasons
NEXT TIME ON "DOOMED PLANET"
YES
Jesus the Europe & Asia episodes would be 10 hours long.
You should make a book like this yourself. Im sure that you could make a much more detailed version that included more species and facts. And I know we would all love having it in our collections.
That would be amazing.
That would be a great idea!!!
For sure. I would buy a book from Atlas Pro, especially an atlas!
0:00 Intro
4:19 Birds
14:23 Fish
21:26 Mammals
26:08 Insects
31:25 Amphibians
32:45 Mollusks
33:58 Conclusion
36:05 Outro
great stuff, as always :)
@Schrader.quail.slayerbut you sir, are a fish
@@Marder_IFV always happy to see Arthur Morgan in the wild
@@briscoschaefer9578 i really need to finish the game
@@Marder_IFV omg you do! How far into are you? It’s very spoilable so be careful
@@briscoschaefer9578 I stopped after Arthur died and I just couldn't finish the game (play a bit of the first epilogue)
The destruction of Tenochtitlan and subsequent draining of Lake Texcoco is in my opinion one of the greatest cultural, historical, and ecological losses in history. I can only imagine what Mexico City would look like if it was built around the lake, with the old city and the old dams intact. It wouldn’t be sinking, at the very least
Just imagining Aztec pyramids, floating houses, farms, canals and aqueducts is an insane image, and that just the architecture. All of the culture and history to go along with it, which is a lot harder to quantify, is also mostly lost, and it would also be extremely interesting considering all they achieved.
I know that it would be a titanic task and that probably none of our current politicians would be interested, but I would like Mexico to encourage a slow depopulation of the area to let the lake eventually return
Something like giving incentives to migrate to other nearby cities like Puebla or something like that, and maybe in more than 100 years the lake could return
@@elqueobserva7663 they can’t just abandon the historical and cultural sites in Mexico City. What little ruins of Tenochtitlan we still have would be well underwater if the lake was still here, not to mention all of the colonial and postcolonial historic sites in Modern Mexico City.
Are there really ruins left of Tenochtitlan? If so, could you please direct me to pictures or sources on them, cause it sounds really interesting.
@@literallyjustthings9227 basically the only thing left from Tenochtitlan itself is the Templo Mayor ruins in Mexico City
I always cry internally whenever the recently extinct animals are mentioned. Although it is important to remember them, it's sad to think there were even more animals until recently.
Fun Fact & Good News; The Blue Pike is slowly making a comeback, its not a separate species, but a color variation of the native Walleye. This color variation was wiped out in the 60s-80s but local fishermen in the Great Lakes and surrounding estuaries have been catching walleye with more and more blue coloration as the recessive trait is slowly working its way back!
That is good news! I had no idea it was just a variation
And we still have them in the nord of Québec already catch a couple of them
Very good news! the more variation, the better 😊
@@fredbergeron2193I know they're caught in a few lakes in pimachiowin aki as well
A cousin of the Walleye, Yellow Perch also carry the same mutation which sometimes appears in some lakes. Look up Blue Perch. Very pretty. The gene seems to be dominant or incompletely dominant which would explain why it seemed to be represented by an entire sub-demographic of Walleye in the past.
Surprised at no mention to Stellar's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas). The largest sirenian in the world at the time of its existence, they were dugong the size of small whales that inhabited only the Aleutian island chain of Alaska at the time of their discovery during the Bering expedition. An organism so unique and large would likely be a big tourism draw if they still lived.
Interestingly, there is evidence that supports that the sea cow was already on its last proverbial legs at the time of it's hunting to extinction within 30 years of its discovery. In some well-preserved fossil samples it was found that the Aleutian island sea cows had very low genetic diversity suggestive of inbreeding. It is believed from this that the sea cow had already lost the majority of its population from the sea level rise at the end of the last ice age. They were positively buoyant and so when sea levels increased they could no longer feed on the seagrass at the bottom.
The stellers sea cow was native to Russia
@@everettduncan7543 There's evidence that it ranged from the Commander Islands to the western Aleutian Islands into recent times, though it was only directly observed by Europeans near the former.
never been so sad to find out an animal was "positively buoyant"
I was going to comment this as well
@@pocketmarcy6990same lol
Your discussion of fish & crustacean extinctions is a great illustration of the freshwater biodiversity crisis that is happening in north america. I think the extinction rate is something like 10x the terrestrial extinction rate for freshwater species. Especially in the eastern US, there are also a lot of species (especially mussels) which are already extinct or are headed there, since this area is a world center of mussel biodiversity and these species are highly reliant on specific streams and systems, since they've had a very long time to develop and speciate in these areas (the appalacians are an old ecosystem/mountain range)
Being from Arkansas, most discussions on biodiversity center around freshwater mussels and crayfish in the Ozarks. Lots of endemic species in those freshwater streams, and lots of recent development happening in towns like Fayetteville and Bentonville.
We see a constant decline in our numbers of crustaceans in eastern canada. Primarily bivalves like mussels, oysters and clams alike.
This is related to pollution including fertilizer and agricultural runoff, including concentrated animal manure lagoons from industrial agriculture.
@@brianstaley6391Right. There's a right and a wrong way to develop land, and NWA is currently doing it the wrong way, as is Jefferson county, MO
Great auk : extinct in 1852
Being that I'm from the area, I also have to mention the Florida Fairy Shrimp. Its story is pretty similar to the Ainsworth Salamander. It was found in the 50s by (I believe) UF researchers in a pond a little south of Gainesville. But when more researchers went to this same pond, it had already been filled in for development. No more fairy shrimp.
☹
Go figure. Most of the natural wonders will be destroyed before more folks get to experience them.
@@goosenotmaverick1156 They are destroyed SO THAT more people get to experience them. We assume we have the right to see everything and know everything, but every person over the age of 50 wanting to retire to "paradise" means paving more and more of it over. Not to mention fueling absolutely deranged politics (tourism feeds corruption and dictatorship like nothing else because what else are you gonna do, vacation in Ohio?).
@@gearandalthefirst7027oh yes, the famous dictatorships of France, Italy, USA, Spain and Greece 😂
Also what you're talking about is immigration is it not?
😢
This man's drive to educate folks on TH-cam seems to continuously provide a deeper and more comprehensive understanding about things than multiple publication firms. Research and academic institutions need to be paying attention to every video this channel uploads.
I hope you do Europe next to show how diverse the old world was.
That's going to need a different cut off date if we want to talk about European lions, or the Woolly Mammoth.😅
The problem is that European wildlife was devastated a lot earlier in the timeline. You can do it, but it gets harder and herder to find good information, simple because the longer ago, the less humans cared about things like that, at least in a systemic way.
Video will be hours and hours long for sure
@@disgust4941 I seriously doubt that. Europe was always less diverse than other continents.
@@martijn9568 I mean, there were also Lions and Mammoths in the Americas too - the video focuses on Modern extinctions, so this video would also be long if we included Pleistocene Fauna from the US. (Even if we just included megafauna like Ground Sloths, Steppe Bison, etc, it still would be lengthy!)
I think the issue with European extinct animals is just how connected it is to the other parts of the world so what might have been a common sight in Europe may have been summer visitors from Africa or Asia (such as the thriving Hoopoe) or initially non-endemic and haven't evolved enough to be classed as a separate species (similar to the point below, but not exactly the same point I'm trying to make - the below being kinda a minor/pedantic detail, so ignore if you want lol)
There can also be animals that were **initially** labelled as a subspecies and then classed as extinct, but later analysed and found to be too genetically similar to species it was supposed to branch from, that they're no longer verified to be a subspecies (such as the Cyprus Dipper).
I struggle with formulating words, so I just want to apologise if it's hard to understand, and clarify this is not an attack on your idea
This made me so happy we've been able to keep the Banff Springs Snail alive. It's this teeny tiny snail only found in the Banff hot springs.
I think in the future you should consider sequel series like one looking at invasive species in North America or critically endangered species!
Our government in the UK passed a law in 2022 that allows private water companies to dump raw sewage into our river systems 24 hours per day 7 days per week. We now have by far the worst water quality of anywhere in Europe and animals are dying out.
wow No one bat an eye?
@@Von199X Started protesting but protesting was made illegal in the UK, with lots of climate change and environment activists now in prison.
Yea, it still baffles me how humanity can treat such thing as a river, a sustainer of life as merely as a garbage dump.
BASED@@tdyerwestfield
If the UK were still in the EU, this would be illegal.
Also, having a section on recently extinct animals in a book about all the wildlife of a place makes sense just in case the species didn't actually go extinct after all! Although unlikely, it's not impossible that some might have survived, and their pictures being in a book like these could help people find them.
I live in Eastern Tennessee, and I enjoy kayaking the numerous rivers in the area! The number of fresh water mussels that inhabit the rivers of Appalachia is fascinating because mussels are something many of us just associate with salt water. It's so cool to watch the river bottom as you glide down the river on a kayak, and the river beds are brimming in white for miles and miles. I really didn't know until recently how many are endangered and have gone extinct.
When I went to Tennessee on vacation one of the rivers leading up to a waterfall was low enough that you could actually walk on the exposed rock slabs.
The sheer number of shells was insane. Must have been raccoon heaven.
Seeing just how much life there's supposed to be in our river systems was definitely eye opening. Here in Indiana you're lucky if you see any shells at all.
@@bolbyballinger That's awesome! I hope you enjoyed your vacation.
@@bolbyballingerin rain fed parts of Missouri there's mostly Asian clams.
It honestly made my day to see you reference the Reader's Digest North American Wildlife book, I had that as a kid growing up and loved it!
I missed this chanel so much so glad you are back :)
He never went anywhere though?
@@tisFrancesfault When you love a channel so much you become impatient
This is great coverage of the extinct animals of North America I would love to see an Episode on the endangered species of North America next. Or an episode on the extinct species of the North American Ice Age
I also feel like prehistoric megafauna ought to count too.
@@pierrebegley2746 Yeah, while the recent extinctions are bad, it is shocking just how many large animals existed in North America before humans, and almost all did not make it.
I think an important takeaway is that agriculture ultimately was responsible for many of these extinctions and that many of them happened without heavy industrialization of the area at all
Well done.
Bison came fairly close to disappearing too. If not for a very few people acting at a critical stage, they could be.
Not being charismatic is a major issue in animal conservation. It's why they offer for you to adopt a panda or giraffe or a tiger. But no one is out there saying save the leeches. It's a testament to human shallowness that even the animals we want to save have to be asthetically pleasing for us to care.
That's called an umbrella species. You take an animal that people could care about so that you can get funding and public interest in saving a species so that you can pay for and support programs that protect other less cared about species (like leeches or insects).
Apparently recently there been a trail cam footage released that allegedly showed an Arizona Jaguar, which I’m really hoping it is, because jaguars are some of my favorite panthera species
Yeah, pretty sure the jaguar that showed up was a new one found as well. Jaguars still visit from Mexico from time to time. Some are even speculated to live in Arizona. Now if find these big cats interesting, let me tell you another about another species. We here in Arizona once had a parrot native to the state, they lived in one of the Beautiful sky islands (mountains that are like islands in a sea of desert). They were once found at least in the Chiricahua mountains. Anyhow they were eventually extirpated from Arizona by over hunting and loss of habitat. They're now only found in the very same mountains that had the Imperial woodpecker. The Arizona game and fish tried to reintroduce the parrot back into the mountains, but the attempt failed. They mentioned they wanted to try again back in 2020, but I at least haven't heard anything about it since.
I'd expect that - given proper conditions - jaguars from Mexico would migrate into Arizona, establishing themselves throughout the range of their extinct kin. Heck, there's similar stuff happening with pumas in the Eastern US with a mix of migrations and animals that escaped captivity.
Zoologist and Botanist here, not even including plants, there's still MANY wonderful animals you list still misses, such as the eastern wolf, all of the mussel species that are extinct, Steller's Sea Cow, and so so much more that was either missed or skipped over. In addition, for the love of everything ecological and for the sake of biodiversity, please do not disregard subspecies as "just subspecies", that's like saying the northern and the southern tiger don't count even though the sumatran population of the southern tiger subspecies and the amur population of the northern tiger subspecies are drastically different.
Regarding the sea mink, your assertion that "the only other member of the weasel family known to live aquatic, or even semiaquatic lives, are otters," is untrue. The sea mink is survived by its extant cousins, the American and European mink. Both are semiaquatic. Good video though :) its just when you know a lot about a specific subject (weasels) and hear someone say something incorrect about it, publicly, it's impossible to continue with your life until you've gotten that off their chest
I think his mistake was saying semiaqtic when he meant marine
I think he meant mink in general.
Also, despite their names, American and European mink are part of separate genera.
With the European mink being part of the Mustela genus, alongside weasels, polecats, ferrets, ermines, and stoats.
Meanwhile, the American mink is part of the genus Neogale, a genus whose only other member was the now extinct sea mink.
@@beastmaster0934 I figured he may have intended to say that, but whatever his intentions, the actual words he said did not make any reference to mink as a group. A viewer unfamiliar with the matter would not be able to infer the existence and semiaquatic nature of other species of mink from this video alone.
And, yes, I was aware of the paraphyly of mink, but chose not to bring it up because I didn't consider it relevant. I referred to the two other species of mink not because they are also called "mink," but because they are also semiaquatic non-otter mustelids.
Incidentally, Neogale is more populous than you think, and includes a handful of extant American weasel species in addition to the American and sea mink.
It was also a mistake to say that the sea mink was the largest member of the weasel family (Mustelidae). Wolverines and at least some badgers are larger.
@@chrisconrod9560 Oh dang, you’re extremely right there. I hadn’t even noticed he said that.
Awesome! Glad your back sir! One thing to note, you highlighted the Ohio and Wabash rivers North from the confluence at Cairo, IL instead of the actual Mississippi River up to Minnesota.
Thought on future video.. Maybe map where invasive species got introduced and how far they have spread.
That would be a challenge of a video all right! As someone who has done a ton of research on the origin of invasive species, the specifics of most species is unknown. There are also so so many... but a video on just a few would be interesting too
I'm up every night thinking about the Carolina parakeet
Seriously, not only would it be cool to have a temperate climate parakeet, but we didn't even WANT to get rid of them. Didn't eat them, didn't want to develop their habitat (until after they were extinct), and appreciated them eating cockleburs.
But those darn European bird diseases . . .
I think the Cape parrot in South Africa is an example of a temperate parakeet, but even then its numbers are sinking
I mean imagine. A parrot roaming your American bird feeder alongside Northern Cardinals and Chipping Sparrows. Being sneaky and intelligent, they could snatch a sip of nectar from a feeder next to ruby-throated hummingbirds. They ranged all the way to Pennsylvania so even Northerners could enjoy them
Weren't Carolina parakeets hunted for their feathers to put in women's hats that were very popular at that time?@@bolbyballinger
A few months ago I bought a poster of the Carolina Parakeet. (I think it’s one of Audubon’s pieces). Right now I’m studying in the hopes of becoming a conservation biologist, and I keep the poster in my room as a reminder of what I’m fighting for (or more accurately what I’m fighting to prevent.)
I dont think you could even fit all the beetles of America in that book lol
Ok after some comments I did actually look it up and theres said to be around 30 000 beetles species in North America dang
Yeah when he said that book held all the flora and fauna in America and I saw how thin it was, I knew the cover was lying 😂
Yeah, there’s a lot of beetles in North America alone.
wait I was being lighthearted but lemme google it.... dear goodness 30 000 species@@beastmaster0934
If there ever is a part 2 for North America, I think the Caribbean Monk Seal is a must-add species given its range, there are also some Mexican rodents that weren't discussed in the video like Peromyscus pembertoni, and Oryzomys nelsoni which might be good additions to the extinct mammal species. There were also a couple of red wolf subspecies that might be cool to discuss, especially given the taxonomic battle red wolves have had in recent decades. (hope this speeds up the research lol)
Although having unwanted wildlife in your area is somewhat counter productive, having a good/diverse ecosystem does a great deal for human culture and mental/spiritual/emotional well being. Its a shame this is becoming less common in some places.
I put out mineral blocks on my property and such to attract it, I have at least 8 deer that bed down on the hill above my house on average 4 days a week, usually more, especially during warmer months. The crows also love the mineral blocks as do all the bird species really. Not sure what else gets to em, but I rather enjoy encouraging them to be around. In spring I'm planting some sacrificial crops around the perimiter of my garden so they have snacks and hopefully leave the rest be. I haven't had an issue yet but I have only been here two years and had a garden the first time last year. It's a matter of time before the neighborhood animals find the snacks. 😂 I love watching em all. The deer don't mind me so long as we don't make eye contact if I'm within 50ft. Then the huff and run off. I don't intentionally get that close, for the record. Honestly terrified to be charged by a young spike with something to prove 😂
Great video, I just wanted to mention that Dryocopus woodpeckers arent that closely related to Campephilus woodpeckers despite their superficial resemblance. The Ivory Billed woodpecker has close relatives still around in Central and South America, like the Pale-billed and Cream billed woodpeckers.
I was sad about the lack of mentions to the loss of the native dogs of North America. I wouldn't have mentioned it, but all of the wolf subspecies got mentioned, and the unique and lost dogs of America deserve that same level of respect in my eyes.
Please make a video covering the Falkland Islands wolf, it’s story is so interesting
Another amazing vid! An amazing way to start the new years and I'm loving that you're putting all the old footage in as well. Now it's really making it a much more impactful video and I just love the music and the video quality of the old nature tapes
Bruh I need that Mexican guitar background music
I think it would have been cool to see some plants as most people when they think of extinct or extiction think of the animals because they move and breathe and are seen as alive while the plants are not really thought about because they 'dont do that' but they do they grow and move, they eat and breathe just not in the same way animals do.
I am always so quick to watch your videos as they come out. These will live on to become timeless classics. Thanks for the effort you put into this. I truly love what you do.
Absolutely love this concept. Animals gone but not forgotten. Lets hope we learn and save the remaining life while we can.
Florida Black Wolf is also a sub species that is gone from Florida. It is a sub species of the Red Wolf.
Yeah I included all the canis lupus subspecies because there were so many but I decided to leave out the rest 😅
Do we know they was a subspecies? Has a pelt etc been DNA tested, historically they would have been classified based on morphology, not the most reliable method, could have just been melanistic Red Wolf (Canis rufus), the melanistic trait could have been introduce into the Florida Red Wolf (Canis rufus) population by native peoples Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris), similar to that of the Carolina dog that more often are more yellow tones, but can be found in black.
I’ve been looking through something recently and I think you might like it. Could you make a video about where modern mammal groups come from, and wha had been filling their niche beforehand? I’ve been looking into it and finds it fascinating. There are apparently multiple extinct non-placental and non-marsupials therian mammals convergently evolving to fill the niche of modern day predators on much of Gondwana whether that be insular india, South America or even Antarctica and this seems like an amazing topic.
Just passing by saying thanks - found this channel while searching for some references for my novel just so that even if I don't present expert inference, I don't write exact nonsense either. Your channel has been so enormously helpful and fun to watch!
Imperial dreams is a great book about an ornithogist from Cornell that went searching for the birds in the Sierra madre, its an amazing read!
I have it, but i wasn't able to get though it cuz im a firm imperial sceptic and just as firm ivory bill believer and the fact the imperials extinct made me depressed.
23:28 if you ever cover the wolf/moose predatory relationship in depth, may I suggest Isle Royal? It’s a very isolated environment (being an island) that we have documented for decades at this point.
I did my senior thesis in college about the Northeastern Minnesota Moose Population. There are so many interesting factors effecting these large mammals. Isle Royale is a great place to study about this as well.
how did you not lose your mind with sadness and grief while making this video? i’m actually crying just from watching it. there’s so much we’ve lost already, and so much more we’ll continue to lose. entire species just GONE. and it feels like nobody cares sometimes. how can you convince someone that a mollusk they’ve never heard of is important, unless they already believe that all life is sacred just because it exists? idk it just breaks my heart.
That’s why telling stories like this is so important!
Well I mean there have been potentially billions of species that went extinct from this planet already without you even capable of knowing about them.
Thank you for the awesome content and all the amazing videos!
Amazing video!!! More people need to talk about this, it’s sad how many species have been all but forgotten. One thing I did want to bring up is that Plethodon ainsworthi is probably not a valid taxon, and at the moment seems much more likely to just be a poorly preserved specimen(s) of P. mississippi. This would make sense on a few levels as “Slimy Salamander complex” Plethodons are usually relatively resistant to disturbances short of the complete uprooting of a forest. P. mississippi also occurs over the entire possible range of P. ainsworthi, and it would be unusual for two species in that complex to exist at the same site as they could probably readily hybridize. There are also no examples of near site endemic Plethodons in the general region, which makes me cast even more doubt. Ultimately, we’ll probably never know for sure though because the surviving specimen is so roached that it’s impossible to be certain. If weren’t careful a few of our currently extant salamanders might be gone before we know it though!
A lot of the mammal subspecies listed, like eastern elk, eastern cougar, and several of the wolves listed, are no longer considered valid subspecies by modern science. But I think their inclusion anyways is really important in understanding just how much humans have shifted the populations of these animals in only the past 400 years or so, many wild areas we may see as “healthy” are missing so many key players in their ecosystems.
The list would probably be larger if you considered "dead species walking", species that have been extirpated to such an extent that their population numbers foretell inevitable extinction. The vaquita will soon die.
If the areas can be considered healthy then those "key players" weren't keys at all.
It goes back much further than that, actually. Wolves and bison are not “pinnacles of North American wildlife”, they’re what’s left of a far more vibrant ecosystem that once included horses, camels, shrub-oxen, giant sloths, glyptodonts, cave lions, sabre-toothed cats, short-faced bears, mammoths, mastodons, teratorns, and so many other species wiped out by humans. No Holocene ecosystem was ever “intact” or “healthy”.
@@Tokru86That is why "healthy is in quotations, they are not healthy.
Arizona almost lost the apache trout too, it was fished nearly to extinction in the early 1900s. Miraculously, conservation efforts began and work was started on reintroducing it to the white mountains waters it came from. Now their range is rapidly returning to what it was 100s of years ago.
I’d like it if you just quickly put up the names of things like the 9 extinct Central American frogs. This way if you aren’t going to give much explanation, we can find it on our own more easily.
I often finding myself thinking of how many endemic species died before the general world realized it for what it was.
The waterways of North America before settlers could have been full of unique trout and salmon species that we will never know about.
I love learning about this kind of stuff thank you ❤
I consider the Carolina Parakeet to be the biggest lost that North America faced; It beautifully represented the subtropical climate of the American South and its rich inhabitants.
Jesus this video is ambitious.
Major props, it's very well made.
Lake Texcoco was definitely not untouched by humans before the establishment of Mexico City. Texcoco was the site of Tenochtitlan, the center of the Aztec Empire.
I wish you would’ve gone into more detail about the mollusks and showed them on the final map. They are out of all the species on this list some of the most important for our ecological future.
One of the best vids yet! I'm in utter amazement! Wonderful work!
Benjamin Sisko would be sad to hear about all of those ciscos going extinct.
As for wolves, it's a good thing that we're reintroducing them into certain ecosystems, since the lack of wolves has indeed led to an explosion and overabundance of deer, far more than mere human hunters can deal with.
I appreciated the section on the Dusky Seaside Sparrow. I worked at Merritt Island Nat'l Wildlife Refuge for a couple years and the biologists still talk about it. Thought I'd add a few details to the story in case anyone else is interested.
Merritt Island was mostly swamp but it wasn't uninhabited when construction began on the space center. The government "bought" the land from people living there...aka seized it via eminent domain. There are multiple fallow citrus groves with trees that still produce fruit and some scattered abandoned homesteads. There's a kumquat tree at one of the homesteads, probably the best fruit I've ever had.
Mosquito management is the main reason the Dusky Sparrow went extinct. The swamps at Merritt Island naturally filled and drained with water over the course of the year, leaving exposed mudflats which the native mosquitos need to reproduce. Workers went on strike during construction because the mosquitoes were so bad. So the government built dikes to keep water in the swamp year-round in an attempt to reduce mosquito populations. They also used DDT like you mentioned. It worked to reduce the number of mosquitos (not much, they're still horrible), but also drastically changed the habitat.
The upside to all of this is that there are now large bodies of shallow water all over the island which hundreds of thousands of waterfowl use during their annual migrations. It's a critical habitat for them now because most of the interior bodies of water in Florida they used to visit no longer provide them with the food they need for their migration due to human development. So it's not all bad.
There's another endangered bird living at the refuge - the Florida Scrub Jay. They live in the dry scrub habitat on the island, so weren't affected as much by the development. However, it's unclear how long the Merritt Island population will last since their habitat is so fragmented, both on the island itself and across the state as a whole.
Thanks for the video!
If you do decide to map all the extinct species of the neo-tropics (Central and South America), Can you please take extra note of the most devastated genus of animal of modern times, that is the Harlequin Toads of the genus Atelopus. This once large family of nearly a hundred species inhabited the streams of the highland paramos, lowland rainforests and especially cloud forest’s from as for north from Costa Rica to Bolivia in the south and as far east as French Guiana. These toads once had an extreme variability in coloration and pattern’s that ranged from bright orange, red, yellow, green, black, grey, white, brown and even purple and pink. Especially in the case Costa Rican Harlequin Toad (Atelopus Varius) where even within populations themselves, individual harlequin toads had a dramatic range of coloration and patternization within the same population that some now think may have actually been separate species. But sadly in the 1980’s the Chytrid Fungus was introduced to the neo-tropics and utterly devastated this entire genus of toad, along with habitat destruction a majority of this genus been feared extinct although thankfully a handful of species have been rediscovered alive and some have been placed into captive breeding programs to ensure their survival.
When Atlaspro whips out the exact same book I ALSO bought at a yard sale 😍
It is comforting knowing that picking up 30 year old books at yard sales doesn’t give you the completeness of information that the entire internet can provide.
Comforting how?
how is that comforting? do you dislike books or something
Very rarely have I been this excited for a new upload. Every new video brings more joy than the last.
Very important conservational work, you do here!
A couple notes:
- 22:41, The Cascadia wolf subspecies' home range is now in the process of being replaced by grey wolves moving west from Idaho (probable subspecies: C. l. occidentalis) and south from B.C. (probable subspecies: C. l. columbianus). However, do to how well wolves travel long distances, subspecies classification among grey wolves is notoriously difficult, and where genetic testing has been possible, it's usually further restricted subspecies classifications (although it's also (sometimes) supported the creation of two distinct wolf species - the red wolf (C. rufus, with three possible subspecies) and the eastern timber wolf (C. lycaon)). There have been as many as 27 grey wolf subspecies and as few as 5, though I suspect the real number is somewhere in between. It's possible that all the wolf subspecies that you mentioned occuring in the US and eastern Canada are all actually a part of the (currently extant) great plains wolf (C. l. nubilus), or that the subspecies you mentioned are actually valid - it currently depends on whether you're reading material from taxonomic "lumpers" or "splitters", and while genetics is helping to shed some light on subspecies, they are not immune to "lumpers" and "splitters" (debates on how much genetic drift is needed to turn a distinct population into a subspecies or subspecies into distinct species are alive and very healthy). You could do an entire video on the differences between populations, subspecies, species, and hybridizations using just North American canids in the genus Canis as an example! If interested, I can rummage through my monographs and articles on Canis evolution, ecology, and genetics.
- 24:29, There are three extant genera of semi-aquatic mustelids in North America: the sea otter, genus Enhydra, the river otter, genus Lontra, and some members of the genus Neogale (specifically, the extinct sea mink and the extant American mink). The sea otter is more closely related to the speckle-throated otter of Africa than the American river otter. Interestingly, there used to be an Atlantic sea otter (E. reevei) that went extinct around 2 million years ago. The sea mink may have been evolving to take over the role of the Atlantic sea otter before its untimely extinction. Also, the sea mink was the largest member of the genus Neogale (which has been recently separated from Mustela, the genus now holding almost all mustelids commonly called weasels as well as the European mink), but not the largest mustelid in North America - that distinction goes to the sea otter (who is also the heaviest mustelid in the world. the longest mustelid is probably the giant river otter).
- 35:21, The marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a small Alcidea seabird that lives along the pacific northwest. It's pretty unique in that it's the only seabird I know of the nests exclusively in trees - and not just any trees, but specifically in coastal old-growth trees that are no further than 59 miles (95 km) from the ocean, have horizontal, moss covered branches at least 14 in (36 cm) in diameter and have an open space below the nest branch that is long enough for the bird to basically fall off its branch and build up enough speed to take off. It doesn't build a nest, but it's egg has evolved a mottled pattern that perfectly camouflages it on its mossy branch (a nest-like structure does form after the chick hatches, but this is due to the chick defecating and gradually shifting in its little depression, making a wall of feces around itself before it fledges). The adults have a typical alcid plumage of countershaded black and white, but their breeding plumage is a marbled white, black, grey, and brown in order to camouflage during nesting. I mention all of this because during my training for marbled murrelet surveys, I was told that if all the coastal old growth forest habitats went extinct and all that we had left were museum specimens of marbled murrelets in breeding and non breeding plumage as well as egg shells, we'd be able to reconstruct many of the important features of coastal old-growth forests based on the physical characteristics of the marbled murrelet museum specimens and comparisons with long-billed murrelets. While the marbled murrelet is endangered, it still tells us a lot about an ecosystem that we're rapidly losing - the coastal temperate rainforests of North America.
The author of that book had to draw the line somewhere. You have only gone back so far as well. We know of natives being here for over 10,000 years now. Plus, the ice ages caused the lose of a ton of keynote species that were endemic to North America.
I think the only option is for you, Atlas Pro, to publish your own North American wildlife guide.
I think the only reason the book might not contain too many animals or info might depend on publishing date and research. These books are only published years after the last one ofc. They might not be updated by latest findings yet. Maybe you can help in this regards some day.
I grew up with this book and my mom's collection and it was my favorite. This is a total nostalgia overload.
For one of my college classes we visited a museum with preserved remains of birds, including a Labrador Duck and Carolina Parakeet. We've lost some truly magical creatures in such a short time
I swear your new video is always better than your last one. I think it would be cool to do a plant version of this as well, as I noticed the Great Plains were largely excluded from the map. I know at least a few species had to have gone extinct with all the large scale farming. Great work, and keep it up!
Steller's sea cow. Though not strictly N. American in range, it is now extinct. It ranged from Baja California up to Alaska, Aleutian Islands, NE Siberia and down to northern Japan. It should also be in the RD book.
It's bad enough when humans accidentally cause the extinction of animals they barely even knew existed, but it's much more offensive to me when they go out of their way to exterminate them, like they tried to do with wolves and Imperial woodpeckers, among other things. Far too many people who don't think at all about the future or any kind of consequences!
The book is pretty old and a lot has changed taxonomically-wise. Quite a few of the fishes were either synonymized, subspecies or even variations or local extirpations of populations. Sea Mink is now known as Neogale macrodon and a lot of the mammals here are variations or local populations (some not even subspecies like the eastern cougar). Some were rediscovered.
What was the outro song and video from?
Look up “death of a legend”
A quick good news aside on gray wolves, most of those subspecies likely aren’t valid, with there likely having been no more than 6 or so actually existing, all of which are still extant. Red and eastern wolves are an entirely different kettle of fish. In addition, Dawson’s caribou, eastern elk, Badland’s bighorn, Arizona jaguar, eastern cougar, Mexican grizzly bear, and California grizzly bear are no longer considered valid subspecies, with Dawson’s caribou being lumped with barren-ground caribou, eastern elk with Rocky Mountain elk, Badlands bighorn with Rocky Mountain bighorn, eastern cougar with North American cougar (which also includes the no longer valid Florida panther), jaguars became a fully monotypic species, and both bears being lumped under the grizzly bear
What about reptiles?
i was searching for someone else who noticed they weren’t in here
There are luckily no species of reptile that have been driven to complete extinction, only regional. However the bog turtle might as well be considered functionally extinct
in fact most of Meso America and the Caribbean is a transitional zone between the Neo arctic and the Neo tropics indicated as such by both the fauna and the flora
Humans lived in and along lake Texcoco for a long time and co-existed with the flora and fauna , simply skipping and saying “Mexico city was established” is the total erasure of pre-Colombian civilization. It was because spainisb colonial authorities drained lake texcoco that the birds population fell , not because “humans came along and made Mexico City”
Seconding this comment! The latest consensus suggests that humans have inhabited the Americas for 20,000 years. To suggest that simple human presence alone is responsible for the extinction of the Slender Billed Grackle is to completely ignore the sheer level of collateral damage caused by European colonizers in their attempts to permanently and irrevocably alter and erase native peoples' way of life. See also: Buffalo culling, clearing of old growth forests, the burning of Aztec libraries, commandeering and/or destructiom of various cultural heritage sites, and more.
But at the same time pre Columbian records are scarce and often recorded in ways we can't really read anymore and this isn't even a video about humans
Great video! Learned a lot, just wanted to let you know the early graphic that highlighted the Mississippi River did not follow the river correctly, it starts in Minnesota.
Well, some of the "extinct" fish happen to turn up in really exexpected places. There was a video on TH-cam from an aquatic wildlife hobbyist who found that a fish species declared extinct in his area, he was able to find in the ponds of a golf course within its original habitat range, but the depth of wildlife never found them because it was on private land.
Also, there are allegedly pike in a manmade reservoir in northeast Ohio called Mosquito Lake, but I don't know what species.
Not to mention these are typically small fish that have other similar looking species in the area.
And they're underwater where things are much harder to find.
I still have my childhood copy of the Reader's Digest Guide on my shelf (minus the long-destroyed paper dust jacket). It was one of the books that put me on a life-long path to exploring nature, so I feel compelled to defend it just a little.
Do note that the "Guide" in the title earmarks it as a field guide, even if it doesn't explicitly say so within the cover. The ads of the time certainly described it as such. As you mentioned, it was intended to aid a novice in identifying animals encountered on hikes and such. Because of its purpose, there was no need to describe extinct species (and even Marty Stouffer was describing the ivory-billed woodpecker as "almost certainly extinct" in the 80s), nor species whose differences are only readily observed within arm's length.
That said, I totally agree with your statement about the importance of understanding extinct species, for the preservation of current ones. There are still an alarming number of species facing the same sort of challenges, and knowing where we failed may give glimpses toward success.
By the way: I also loved the artwork that went into this video. They really looked like pics that might have been found in that book, and were delightfully nostalgic!
Great video across the board! This is my first from you, and I'm an instant subscriber!
This is depressing, many more will get extinct soon
True and that is why it is important to talk with people you know in real life and any officials you have the privilege of voting for about this. Tell people (in real life) about the moral and economic importance of conservation!
Every time this channel drops a video it makes my day better
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has recently decided to not be considered extinct, citing alleged sightings in the last couple decades.
Great video, will be watching it again, love your work from Australia, I've always been intrigued with the fate of the Carolina Parakeet, though there is another North American parrot that doesn't often get a mention , the Thick - billed Parrot from the highlands of central Mexico was recorded as being a non - breeding visitor to the mountains of southern Arizona and south - western New Mexico , I'm referring to " Parrots of the World" Joseph M Forshaw in the general notes a section reads..." In late historic times they have been known as irregular visitors, ...a large flock, estimated to contain between 700 to 1000 birds was observed by miners at Bonita Park in the Chirichua Mountains , south - eastern Arizona , in August 1904" the text continues on to say that there was "large - scale" sightings in 1917-18, 1922 and 1935 " though rumours persisted until 1945"
Another interesting story , the clearing of the pine forests being the final straw in the tale of they're visits
First in Germany
Guten tag.
I think a video on invasive plants and animals that has had the greatest effect on the ecology of North America would be interesting. Animals such as Starlings and many plants like English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberrys.
Native Americans lived happily with all of them.
Early humans still caused what we can consider mass extinctions. For example here in Argentina the Glyptodon survived until around 11 thousand years ago when it was drove to extinction by the arrival of humans. The species we know of are the ones that achieved some sort of balance with the natives.
Still i agree that industrial and capitalist society is worse when it comes to causing mass extinctions
@@NACHOXXX4 Most noticeably the Maori, the natives of New Zealand, also caused mass extinction of local wildlife by (over-)hunting and invasive species, especially (great) birds, and they only arrived a couple hundred years before the Europeans, not thousands of years earlier like in most regions. As a result, we may know a bit more of those species than in other regions.
However, like you suggested, the scale of extinction caused by industrialization and modern development is unprecedented, barring more natural events millions of years ago.
Very cool video. The Chestnut Casebearer Moth was actually rediscovered in Massachusetts and is fairly widespread. They don't need old mature trees to feed, the larva can also feed on the bushy trees caused by the blight. It makes you wonder if the other chestnut relying moths are still out there.
Fiiiiiiiiiiiirst (im verry sorry)
The chestnut casebearer was recently rediscovered in Massachusetts, with multiple records from around the state!
AND THE NATIVE AMERICANS!!!!
Bro, you're calling the Native Americans, animals? That is racist my guy 😅
HAHAHAHHAHAHHA, what a fucking slam massive respect.
chill
@@jameschristophercirujano6650 Mofo got testicular fortitude.
chill
not extinct, and have some respect, and just part of the animal species homo sapiens
New Brunswicker here. I had zero idea about the Sea Mink, and learning about it broke my heart. When you said the last ones died on Campobello Island, I got goosebumps. So sad.
These are just known major extinct species and from the last 200 years. Doesn't even account for the numerous amounts that we do not know about. I'd argue Stellar's Sea Cow & Caribbean Monk Seal should also be a mention in the mammals section.
Very well done, appreciated. Not many videos have the value and are as well presented as this one.
I LOVED looking through this book as a kid! Hours spent looking through the birds and mammals and trying to find which bug I found in the backyard in the book. I found it recently at a resale place and even though it might be a bit outdated it's still great to look at. A new edition of the book with extinctions included would be awesome.
I haven't even watch this yet and I am sure this is a great direction for your channel and one of my favorite subjects. Thank You!
Thanks for bring it into the light, we all know that there are many extinction but that certainly brings home the message. Excellent content love your channel.
I had a little moment of excitement when you made a point about the loss of Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) Stoneflies (Plecoptera) and Caddisflies (Trichoptera), groups which make up the EPT index for water pollution quality! Their extinction says a lot about what is happening to our water supply
Halloween video idea:
Cryptid mapping. As if they were real creatures.
When I saw the little blue butterflies, I was like wait a minute; I see those little guys all the time in the fall. Like tiny blue moths. Turns out those are a different species but look almost identical