Animal Group

Extinct Animal Facts For Kids

Extinct animals are animals that no longer live on Earth. We know about them from fossils and old drawings. Some died long ago; others lived just a few hundred years ago. Each extinct animal has an amazing story to tell!

Quick Extinct-Animal Facts

What is extinction?: When the last animal of a species dies, that kind is gone forever
How we learn about them: Fossils, bones, drawings, and (recently) photos
How many?: Thousands of animals have gone extinct
Recent extinctions: Many animals went extinct in just the past few hundred years
Why animals go extinct: Habitat loss, hunting, or natural disasters
Conservation: People work to save endangered animals before they go extinct

Extinct Mammals: The Lost Giants and Cats

Many amazing mammals lived in the past but are gone now. Woolly mammoths were furry elephants that lived in cold places. Saber-toothed cats had huge fangs longer than steak knives! Giant ground sloths were as big as elephants.

Featured animals: Woolly Mammoths, Saber-Toothed Cats, Giant Ground Sloths

Extinct Birds: The Vanished Flyers

The dodo was a chubby flightless bird from the island of Mauritius. Sailors hunted dodos for food, and the last one died about 350 years ago. The passenger pigeon used to fly in flocks of millions, but now there are zero.

Featured animals: Dodos, Passenger Pigeons, Great Auks

Extinct Reptiles: The Ancient Giants

Long ago, giant reptiles lived on Earth. Many were larger than any reptile alive today. Fossils help scientists piece together what these amazing creatures looked like.

Featured animals: Extinct Reptiles

Extinct Fish: The Lost Swimmers

Many ancient fish lived in oceans and rivers but are gone now. Scientists study their fossils to learn what they ate and how they lived.

Featured animals: Extinct Fish

Recently Extinct Animals

Some animals went extinct just in the past 100 years. The Tasmanian tiger looked like a striped dog and lived in Australia. The last one died in a zoo in 1936. The quagga was a half-zebra half-horse that lived in Africa.

Featured animals: Tasmanian Tigers, Quaggas

Cool Facts About Extinct Animals!

Mammoth babies are sometimes found frozen! In the Arctic, scientists have found baby mammoths perfectly preserved in ice, with skin, hair, and even food in their stomachs.
The dodo could not fly! Dodos lost the ability to fly because they had no predators on their island. When sailors arrived with dogs and cats, the dodos could not escape.
Saber-toothed cats had two-inch fangs! Their canine teeth were 7 to 11 inches long, longer than a kitchen knife.
Some extinct animals lived alongside people! Woolly mammoths lived at the same time as humans. Cave paintings show people hunting them.
We can sometimes bring animals back! Scientists are trying to use DNA from old mammoth bones to maybe create new mammoths someday.

Extinction Questions Kids Ask

What does extinct mean?

Extinct means that every single one of a kind of animal has died, and no more will ever be born. The animal is gone from Earth forever.

How do we know about extinct animals?

Scientists study fossils (bones turned to stone), preserved bodies, ancient drawings, and old written records. Each clue helps us learn what extinct animals looked like and how they lived.

Why did the dodo go extinct?

Sailors hunted dodos for food. They also brought dogs, cats, rats, and pigs to the dodo's island, which ate dodo eggs and babies. The dodo could not fly away, so they all died within about 100 years.

Can extinct animals come back?

Scientists are trying! Some teams are working to use DNA from preserved mammoth bones to maybe create mammoth babies. This is called "de-extinction." It is not easy, but it might happen someday.

How can we stop more extinctions?

We can protect habitats, stop hunting endangered animals, keep oceans and rivers clean, and learn about animals to help them. Kids can help by recycling, planting trees, and learning about wildlife!