List_of_extinct_animals_of_Africa

List of African animals extinct in the Holocene

List of African animals extinct in the Holocene

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This list of African species extinct in the Holocene covers extinctions from the Holocene epoch, a geologic epoch that began about 11,650 years before present (about 9700 BCE)[lower-alpha 1] and continues to the present.[1]

Map of Africa
The quagga (Equus quagga quagga), extinct since 1883, was zebra-like in the front but more horse-like in the rear. A breeding program aims to create similar-looking animals, but these are not true quaggas.

Africa is highly biodiverse; it is the continent with the largest number of megafauna species, as it was least affected by the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna. However, a few species have disappeared from Africa as part of the ongoing Holocene extinction, driven by human activity.

Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands, Macaronesia, and Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are biogeographically distinct from mainland Africa and have a much greater number of Holocene extinctions. Recently extinct species from these regions are listed in separate articles.

Many extinction dates are unknown due to a lack of relevant information.

Mammals (class Mammalia)

Elephant-like mammals (order Proboscidea)

Elephants and mammoths (family Elephantidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Rodents (order Rodentia)

Old World rats and mice (family Muridae)

Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Primates (order Primates)

Lorises, pottos, and angwantibos (family Lorisidae)

Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

True insectivores (order Eulipotyphla)

True shrews (family Soricidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Carnivorans (order Carnivora)

Cats (family Felidae)

Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Dogs (family Canidae)

Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Bears (family Ursidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Odd-toed ungulates (order Perissodactyla)

Horses and allies (family Equidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Rhinoceroses (family Rhinocerotidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Extinct in the wild
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Even-toed ungulates (order Artiodactyla)

Pigs (family Suidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Right and bowhead whales (family Balaenidae)

Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Gray whales (family Eschrichtiidae)

Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

True deer (family Cervidae)

More information Scientific name, Range ...
Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Cattle, goats, antelopes, and others (family Bovidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Extinct in the wild
More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Birds (class Aves)

Landfowl (order Galliformes)

Guineafowl (family Numididae)

Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Bustards (order Otidiformes)

Bustards (family Otididae)

Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Shorebirds (order Charadriiformes)

Oystercatchers (family Haematopodidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Sandpipers (order Scolopacidae)

Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Auks (family Alcidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Hawks and relatives (order Accipitriformes)

Hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures (family Accipitridae)

Locally extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Passerines (order Passeriformes)

Cisticolas and allies (family Cisticolidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Reptiles (class Reptilia)

Squamates (order Squamata)

Plated lizards (family Gerrhosauridae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Amphibians (class Amphibia)

Frogs (order Anura)

African torrent frogs (family Petropedetidae)

Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

True toads (family Bufonidae)

Possibly extinct
More information Common name, Scientific name ...
Extinct in the wild
More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Ray-finned fish (class Actinopterygii)

Minnows and allies (order Cypriniformes)

Carps, minnows, and relatives (family Cyprinidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Salmon, trout and relatives (order Salmoniformes)

Salmon, trout and relatives (family Salmonidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Toothcarps (order Cyprinodontiformes)

Livebearers and relatives (family Poeciliidae)

More information Scientific name, Range ...

Insects (class Insecta)

Butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera)

Gossamer-winged butterflies (family Lycaenidae)

More information Common name, Scientific name ...

Ostracods (class Ostracoda)

Order Podocopida

Family Candonidae

More information Scientific name, Range ...

See also

Notes

  1. The source gives "11,700 calendar yr b2k (before CE 2000)". But "BP" means "before CE 1950". Therefore, the Holocene began 11,650 BP. Doing the math, that is c. 9700 BCE.
  2. "...and we are displeased because elephants have been removed from Libya, because lions have disappeared from Thessaly, because hippopotamoi have been gotten rid from the marshes of the Nile."[6]
  3. This study did not use Syrian brown bears for comparison.[19]

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