Lost and Found

Over the years, we have lost several species. I'm going to go over just a few. They are extinct, no more exist. Due to human behavior. Let's educate ourselves on what and why, and learn from our mistakes:



Golden Toad



Lived in Costa Rica in high altitudes; trees and such. Cause of extinction in 1989: pollution, global warming, fungal infections.



West African Black Rhinoceros



One of four subspecies of Rhinoceros. Last one found in Cameroon habitat. Cause of extinction in 2006: poachers after the horn.



Zanzibar Leopard



This subspecies of Leopard found its home on the Zanzibar archipelago of Tanzania. Cause of extinction in 1996: Believe it or not: "Locals believed the leopards were kept by witches, so they aggressively hunted them. The animals were seen as evil predators that must be exterminated -- and even the government was in on this campaign."




Madeiran Large White

A beautiful butterfly found in Portugal’s Madeira Islands. Cause of extinction in 2007: loss of habitat and pollution from agricultural fertilizer.






I know that I have saddened myself with how human behavior has destroyed the lives of other animals beyond revival. No asteroid, no volcano (even though we know that wasn't why); it was human behavior. So now, as promised, as species reemerged! Litoria castanea, or the "yellow-spotted bell frog" was declared extinct more than 30 years ago, but alas! Biologists spotted spotted some on a creek bed in Australia. A frog and a tadpole were brought to the Sydney zoo to hope for captive breeding. Just look how cute and snuggly they are. :)