570 vanished lives

135Recently extinct

Pink-purple pea flowers once carried this monotypic island plant into European glasshouses.

136Recently extinct

This violet occupied one small patch of pale limestone before quarrying removed its habitat.

156Recently extinct

Silvery hairy leaves and small pale flowers once covered dry slopes; the last reliable collection was made in 1771.

157Recently extinct

Purple pea flowers grew on one limestone river island, with the final herbarium collection made in 1881.

158Recently extinct

The only scientifically recorded tree bore curved yellow-green tubular flowers probably adapted to Hawaiian honeycreepers.

159Recently extinct

Narrow leaves and hibiscus-like red flowers were confined to southeastern Oʻahu and vanished within decades of discovery.

160Recently extinct

Red-striped yellow-green tubular flowers opened among fleshy paired leaves; the last reliable sighting was in 1954.

338Recently extinct

This tall flightless island bird was closer to megapodes than its heavy build suggested.

339Recently extinct

Powerful legs and a heavy bill belonged to a flightless ground forager.

340Recently extinct

A flightless ibis turned thickened wrist bones into club-like weapons.

345Recently extinct

Island scarcity shrank a giant-elephant lineage to about one meter at the shoulder.

346Recently extinct

It was hunted out for fur before scientists could describe a living animal.

347Recently extinct

Its blue cast likely came from gray hair over dark skin rather than bright fur.

348Recently extinct

Broad multi-tined antlers formed a crown above floodplain grasslands.

463Recently extinct

Strong legs carried a medium moa whose feathers resembled shaggy hair.

464Recently extinct

This giant flightless pigeon fought with bony wing knobs and was the dodo's closest relative.