Buy the fanciest pair of binoculars you can lay hands on. Invest in the most exotic and extensive safaris in the most remote corners of the earth headed by the most knowledgeable and intrepid tour guide in the business. I'm telling you right now, none of it will help. None of these animals will ever wander into your view finder. We, humans, chased all of them off the planet and into the history books years ago.
GIANT MOA: This huge New Zealand bird was
up to 12 feet tall and 500 lbs. Maori legend tells of a giant bird killing many
strong warriors with claw and beak. One wonders how much truth lies in legend. By the way, here's an interesting Giant Moa fact. It was actually only the ladies who were this big. The male birds were around 4 feet tall. VANISHED:
1500.
STELLAR’S SEA COW: This manatee-like sea giant must have been an amazing sight at 20
to 30 feet and 14,000 pounds. That's just a little shorter than a city bus and the weight of six elephants. Mankind killed the
last one less than 27 years after the species was discovered. VANISHED:
1767.
DODO BIRD: This famous bird of Mauritius Island was a relative of the modern dove. Unfortunately, many species have disappeared from this Island in the wake of development and hunting, so very little is known of the world the Dodo bird knew. VANISHED:
1662.
BARBARY LION: This huge cat was up to 10 feet in length and 500 lbs, with a
remarkable bushy mane, extending to the midriff. The lion we know today is
around 6.5 feet long. VANISHED: Debated. c. 1922.
THYLACINE OR TASMANIAN WOLF: This odd creature had the teeth of a wolf, stripes of a
tiger, tail of a kangaroo and the pouch of a marsupial. There was a push for conservation as early as 1901, but due to politics and red tape, official protection was not established until July 10, 1936, only 59 days before the last know specimen passed away. VANISHED: 1936.
(At least we think so. There have been so many unconfirmed sightings that
rewards of up to 1.75 million have been offered for a live specimen. So far, no
one’s claimed the money.)
Wow! Seems like conservation legislation was just a bit too late for these guys. But there's still a chance for the ones that are still here, right?
Comments