|
 It's Too LateTHE GEOGRAPHY OF EXTINCTION (chart)
| 1600 to present |
| |
Number of Species Extinct |
| Islands |
Birds |
Mammals |
Reptiles |
Amphibians |
Total |
| Atlantic Islands |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ascension I. |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Canary Is. |
1 |
|
1 |
|
2 |
| Cape Verde Is. |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| Falkland Islands |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Gull Island (Off NY, USA) |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Iceland, Funt I. (Canada) |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| St. Helena |
7 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
Subtotals |
10 |
2 |
2 |
|
14 |
| Caribbean |
|
|
|
|
|
| Barbuda |
|
2 |
|
|
2 |
| Barbados |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Bahamas |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Caribbean region |
2 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
| Cayman Is. |
1 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
| Cuba |
1 |
7 |
|
|
8 |
| Guadeloupe |
2 |
|
1 |
|
3 |
| Hispaniola (Haiti & Domnican Republic) |
1 |
15 |
|
|
16 |
| Jamaica |
4 |
2 |
2 |
|
8 |
| Martinique |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
6 |
| Navassa I. |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| Puerto Rico |
|
6 |
|
|
6 |
| St Croix (Virgin Is.) |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| St Lucia |
|
2 |
1 |
|
3 |
| St Vincent |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Subtotals |
13 |
40 |
9 |
|
62 |
| Indian Ocean Islands |
|
|
|
|
|
| Amsterdam Island |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Christmas Island |
|
3 |
|
|
3 |
| Madagascar |
2 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
| Mascarene Is. |
31 |
1 |
13 |
|
45 |
| Seychelles |
2 |
|
1 |
|
3 |
|
Subtotals |
36 |
5 |
14 |
|
55 |
| Mediterranean |
|
|
|
|
|
| Sardinia |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Subtotal |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Pacific Islands |
|
|
|
|
|
| Auckland I. |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Bering I. region |
1 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
| Bonin Is. |
3 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
| Caroline Is. |
3 |
|
|
|
3 |
| Chatham Is. |
5 |
|
|
|
5 |
| Fiji Is. |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| Galapagos Is. |
|
7 |
|
|
7 |
| Guadalupe I. |
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
| Guam |
1 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
| Hawaiian Is. |
21 |
|
|
|
21 |
| Lord Howe & Norfolk Is. |
6 |
|
|
|
6 |
| Kangaroo I. (Australia) |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Marquesas |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| New Caledonia |
4 |
|
|
|
4 |
| New Zealand |
14 |
1 |
1 |
|
16 |
| Okinawa |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Pacific region |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Palau |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Philippines |
|
3 |
|
|
3 |
| Ryukyu Is. |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Samoan Is. |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Santa Cruz Is. |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| Society Is. |
7 |
|
|
|
7 |
| Solomon Is. |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Tonga Is. |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Vanuatu |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| Wake I. |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Subtotal |
77 |
17 |
2 |
|
96 |
| Asia |
|
|
|
|
|
| Indonesia |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Subtotal |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Island Totals |
137 |
65 |
27 |
|
229 |
| Mainlands |
|
|
|
|
|
| Africa |
|
5 |
1 |
|
6 |
| Asia |
2 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
| Australia |
2 |
22 |
|
|
24 |
| Europe & Near East |
|
2 |
|
1 |
3 |
| Mexico & Central America |
3 |
4 |
|
4 |
11 |
| North America |
3 |
1 |
|
1 |
5 |
| South America |
10 |
|
|
|
10 |
|
Mainland Totals |
20 |
35 |
1 |
6 |
62 | Source: Table of Extinct Species in the Appendix of this book. Sources of information are listed with the table.
Note: See the Appendix for the list of these species in chronological order, and the references that describe these animals and their extinctions, as well as those that include illustrations of the extinct species.
The following account chronicles some of the many extinctions and destructions of natural ecosystems that have taken place in North America over the past few hundred years. Great biological treasures have been stolen from future generations, and the processes by which they were lost are typical of those occurring elsewhere in the world. The sudden loss of the most abundant and prominent wildlife species of the continent created a profound shock in the public early in the century that set the stage for today's conservation and humane programs. This concern may turn the tide for species that could suffer the fate of the passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) and others, but unless public opinion is better translated into public policy regarding the land and wildlife, further losses will occur and the lessons that might have been learned will be ignored. A strong and pragmatic commitment to preserve what remains of the natural world on the continent, based on a realization that our fate is linked to nature's fate, is essential to prevent further extinctions. | 
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