List of Oceanian species extinct in the Holocene facts for kids

This article is about animals and plants from Oceania that have disappeared forever during the Holocene period. The Holocene is our current geological time that started about 11,650 years ago and continues today.

Oceania is a large area in the Pacific Ocean. It includes places like Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Sadly, many species in Oceania became extinct as humans explored and settled these islands. Some areas, like Australia-New Guinea, New Zealand, and Hawaii, have so many extinct species that they have their own separate lists. This article focuses on the extinctions from the other Pacific Islands. This includes independent countries like Fiji and island territories like French Polynesia.

It's important to know that for many of these species, we don't know the exact date they disappeared. This is because there isn't enough information or records from the past.

Mammals: Animals with Fur or Hair

Rodents: Gnawing Animals

Old World Rats and Mice

These are types of rats and mice that are now extinct.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Buka Island mosaic-tailed rat	Melomys spechti	Buka Island, part of the Solomon Islands	The most recent remains of these rats are from about 3050 BCE.
Buka Island solomys	Solomys spriggsarum

Possibly Extinct Rodents

These rodents might still be out there, but we haven't seen them for a very long time.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Emperor rat	Uromys imperator	Aola, northern Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands	This rat hasn't been officially seen since 1886-1888. Some people say it survived until the 1960s, but we don't know for sure why it disappeared.
Guadalcanal rat	Uromys porculus		This rat also hasn't been seen since 1886-1888. We don't know why it went extinct.

Bats: Flying Mammals

Megabats: Large Fruit Bats

These are large bats that mostly eat fruit.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Nendo tube-nosed fruit bat	Nyctimene sanctacrucis	Nendö, Solomon Islands	Last seen in 1907.
Small Samoan flying fox	Pteropus allenorum	Upolu, Samoa	We only know about this bat from one specimen collected in 1856.
Large Samoan flying fox	Pteropus coxi	Samoa	Only two bats of this type were collected in 1839-1841. We don't know which island they came from, but some people reported seeing them until the 1980s.
Large Palau flying fox	Pteropus pilosus	Palau	Only two bats were collected before 1874. We don't know why they disappeared.
Guam flying fox	Pteropus tokudae	Guam	The last known bat was killed in 1968. There was an unconfirmed sighting in the late 1970s. It was likely hunted too much, and the introduced brown tree snake might have also played a part.

Possibly Extinct Bats

These bats might still exist, but there's very little evidence.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Montane monkey-faced bat	Pteralopex pulchra	Mount Makarakomburu, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands	We only know about this bat from one specimen collected in 1991. We don't know why it disappeared.

Vesper Bats: Common Bats

These are the most common type of bats.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Insular myotis	Myotis insularum	Samoa	Last seen in the 1860s.

Birds: Feathered Friends

Landfowl and Relatives: Chicken-like Birds

Sylviornithids

These were large, flightless birds.

Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Megavitiornis altirostris	Fiji	The most recent remains of this bird are from 950 BCE. It couldn't fly and lived on the ground, so it was probably easily hunted by humans and new animals brought to the island.
Sylviornis neocaledoniae	Grande Terre and Isle of Pines, New Caledonia	The most recent remains are from 1120-840 BCE. This bird also couldn't fly and laid a single egg on the ground without incubating it. This made it an easy target for predators like cats and rats that humans brought with them.

Megapodes: Mound-Builders

Megapodes are birds that often bury their eggs in mounds of dirt or sand.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Consumed scrubfowl	Megapodius alimentum	Tonga and Fiji	This bird was found in Fiji around 850 BCE and in Tonga around 840-740 BCE. It could fly, but it disappeared a few centuries after humans arrived. This was likely due to hunting, egg collecting, and predators brought by humans.
Viti Levu scrubfowl	Megapodius amissus	Aiwa Levu, Fiji	This bird was likely flightless, making it very vulnerable to new predators.
Pile-builder megapode	Megapodius molistructor	New Caledonia	The most recent remains are from 86-428 CE. This was the largest megapode and was probably hunted to extinction by humans.
	Megapodius sp.	Tonga	A large megapode, similar to the New Caledonian one, but likely a different species. It lived alongside the smaller M. alimentum but was rarer.
Large Solomon Islands megapode	Megapodius sp.	Buka Island, part of the Solomon Islands	This bird is only known from prehistoric times.
Lini's megapode	Mwalau walterlinii	Efate, Vanuatu	This bird was found in areas where the ancient Lapita culture lived, dating back to 1050-850 BCE. It could fly, even though it was larger than any megapode alive today.

Locally Extinct Megapodes

These birds still exist elsewhere but have disappeared from these specific islands.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Dusky megapode	Megapodius freycinet	From the Maluku Islands to Tonga	This bird is now only found from the Maluku Islands to New Guinea. It used to live in Tikopia, Solomon Islands, until the Lapita period.	Dusky megapode

Pheasants and Allies

Locally Extinct Pheasants

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Stubble quail	Coturnix pectoralis	Australia and New Caledonia	This quail disappeared from New Caledonia after humans settled there.	Stubble quail

Waterfowl: Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

These are birds that live in or near water.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Rennell Island teal	Anas gibberifrons remissa	Rennell, Solomon Islands	This duck lived only in one lagoon on the island. It disappeared in 1959 after Tilapia fish were introduced, which probably ate all its food.
Mariana mallard	Anas platyrhynchos oustaleti	Guam, Tinian, and Saipan, Mariana Islands	A program tried to save this duck by breeding it in captivity, but it failed. The last one died in 1981.	Mariana mallard
Coues's gadwall	Mareca strepera couesi	Teraina, Line Islands, Kiribati	This duck was a subspecies that stayed in one place. It was discovered in 1874 but never seen alive again.	Coues's gadwall
Rota flightless duck	Anatidae incertae sedis	Rota, Mariana Islands	We only know about this duck from a small bone found.

Pigeons and Doves

Pigeons and Doves

These are common birds known for their cooing sounds.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Henderson archaic pigeon	Bountyphaps obsoleta	Henderson Island, Pitcairn	The most recent remains of this pigeon are from 1000-1600 CE. It was the largest pigeon on the island and wasn't a strong flyer. It was likely hunted to extinction by early Polynesians.
Kanaka pigeon	Caloenas canacorum	New Caledonia; possibly Vanuatu and Fiji	The most recent remains are from 86-428 CE. It was likely hunted to extinction.
	Caloenas sp.	Tonga	Known only from old bones.
Spotted green pigeon	Caloenas maculata	Unknown, possibly Tahiti, French Polynesia	We only know about this pigeon from two specimens collected in 1783 and 1823. Its colors suggest it lived in forests. It might have disappeared due to hunting or new predators before Europeans explored the Pacific widely.	Spotted green pigeon
Tongan tooth-billed pigeon	Didunculus placopedetes	Tonga	The most recent remains are from 900-750 BCE.
David's imperial pigeon	Ducula david	Ouvéa Island, New Caledonia	The most recent remains are from 550-50 BCE.
Henderson imperial pigeon	Ducula harrisoni	Henderson Island, Pitcairn	The most recent remains are from 1000-1600 CE.
Lakeba pigeon	Ducula lakeba	Lakeba and Aiwa Levu, Fiji	The most recent remains are from around 850 BCE.
	Ducula shutleri	Tonga	Known from old bones from 855-730 BCE.
Rota large ground dove	Gallicolumba sp.	Rota, Mariana Islands	Known from old bones. It lived alongside a smaller pigeon that is now gone from the Marianas.
Huahine cuckoo-dove	Macropygia arevarevauupa	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	The most recent remains are from 700-1150 CE.
Marquesas cuckoo-dove	Macropygia heana	Nuku Hiva and Ua Huka, Marquesa Islands	The most recent remains are from 300-1200 CE.
Choiseul pigeon	Microgoura meeki	Choiseul, and possibly Bougainville and Malaita, Solomon Islands	Last officially seen in 1904. Later sightings are thought to be mistakes. It was probably wiped out by introduced dogs and cats.	Choiseul pigeon
Viti Levu giant pigeon	Natunaornis gigoura	Viti Levu, Fiji	Known from old bones. It was the third largest pigeon ever, after the dodo. It couldn't fly and ate large fruits, seeds, and insects on the ground. Like the dodo, it was very easy to hunt and its eggs and chicks were eaten by new mammals.	Viti Levu giant pigeon
Mangaia ground dove	Pampusana erythroptera ssp.	Mangaia, Cook Islands	Known from old bones.
Society Islands ground dove	Pampusana erythroptera ssps.	Moorea and Tahiti, French Polynesia	Known from a few specimens collected between 1768 and 1779. Differences in old paintings suggest there might have been two different subspecies.	Society Islands ground dove
Tanna ground dove	Pampusana ferruginea	Tanna Island, Vanuatu	Only known from a painting made in 1774.	Tanna ground dove
Henderson ground dove	Pampusana leonpascoi	Henderson Island, Pitcairn	The most recent remains are from 1000-1600 CE.
New Caledonian ground dove	Pampusana longitarsus	New Caledonia	The most recent remains are from 86-428 CE.
Great ground dove	Pampusana nui	Marquesas, Cook, Society, and Tuamotu Islands	The most recent remains in Mangaia are from 1390-1470 CE.
Thick-billed ground dove	Pampusana salamonis	Makira and Ramos, Solomon Islands	Known from one bird collected in 1882 and another in 1927. It likely disappeared due to hunting, predators like rats and cats, and loss of its home.
Red-moustached fruit dove	Ptilinopus mercierii	Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa, Marquesa Islands, French Polynesia	Last officially seen in Hiva Oa in 1922. It disappeared because of predators like great horned owls, cats, and rats that were brought to the islands.	Red-moustached fruit dove
Mauke fruit dove	Ptilinopus rarotongensis byronensis	Mauke, Cook Islands	Only known from a description written in 1825.

Possibly Extinct Pigeons and Doves

These might still be around, but it's uncertain.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
White-headed Polynesian ground dove	Pampusana erythroptera albicollis	Hao, Hiti, and possibly Tahanea, French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1950s. It disappeared due to predators like cats and rats.	White-headed Polynesian ground dove

Locally Extinct Pigeons and Doves

These birds still exist elsewhere but have disappeared from these specific islands.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Tongan ground dove	Pampusana stairi	From Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia	This bird disappeared from New Caledonia after humans settled there.	Tongan ground dove

Rails and Cranes: Marsh Birds

Rails

Rails are often shy, ground-dwelling birds. Many island rails became flightless.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Nuku Hiva rail	Hypotaenidia epulare	Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands	The most recent remains are from around 950 CE. Its bones were found in ancient garbage piles, suggesting Polynesians hunted it. It probably disappeared due to hunting.
Ua Huka rail	Hypotaenidia gracilitibia	Ua Huka, Marquesas Islands	The most recent remains are from around 600 CE.
Niue rail	Hypotaenidia huiatua	Niue	Known from old bones from before humans arrived. It's believed to have been hunted to extinction or affected by human changes to its home.
Tongatapu rail	Hypotaenidia hypoleucus	Tongatapu, Tonga	Known from a description in 1785. This bird was likely wiped out by feral dogs that Captain Cook brought to the island in 1773.	Tongatapu rail
Tahiti rail	Hypotaenidia pacifica	Tahiti and Mehetia, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last reported in Tahiti in 1844 and Mehetia in the 1930s. It couldn't fly. Its disappearance was likely caused by introduced cats and rats.	Tahiti rail
Tinian rail	Hypotaenidia pendiculentus	Tinian, Mariana Islands	Known from old bones.
Aguiguan rail	Hypotaenidia pisonii	Aguiguan, Mariana Islands	Known from old bones, many of which show signs of being cooked.
Bar-winged rail	Hypotaenidia poeciloptera	Viti Levu and Ovalau, Fiji	Last seen for sure before 1890. There were unconfirmed sightings later. It was possibly wiped out by introduced cats and mongooses.	Bar-winged rail
Mangaia rail	Hypotaenidia ripleyi	Mangaia, Cook Islands	Known from old bones. Likely disappeared due to hunting, changes to its home, and new mammal predators.
Tahuata rail	Hypotaenidia roletti	Tahuata, Marquesas Islands	The most recent remains are from around 950 CE. This was one of only two rails known from eastern Polynesia. It was likely flightless and had strong legs for living on the ground. This made it very vulnerable to humans and new predators.
Tabuai rail	Hypotaenidia steadmani	Tabuai, Austral Islands, French Polynesia	Known from old bones. It might have disappeared around 1300 CE, soon after Polynesians arrived.
Huahine rail	Hypotaenidia storrsolsoni	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	The most recent remains are from 700-1150 CE. Its bones were found in Polynesian garbage piles, so it likely disappeared due to hunting or new mammals.
Rota rail	Hypotaenidia temptatus	Rota, Mariana Islands	Known from old bones.
Vava'u rail	Hypotaenidia vavauensis	Vava'u, Tonga	This bird was drawn alive in 1793. Its existence was confirmed by finding ancient Lapita culture remains.	Vava'u rail
Eua rail	Hypotaenidia vekamatolu	ʻEua, Tonga	Known from old bones. It disappeared between the arrival of Polynesians around 1300 and Europeans in 1800.
Wake Island rail	Hypotaenidia wakensis	Wake and Wilkes Island	This bird was likely hunted to extinction by Japanese soldiers during World War II when they were stuck on Wake Island.	Wake Island rail
Hiva Oa rail	Hypotaenidia sp.	Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands	One of only two rail species from eastern Polynesia. It couldn't fly.
New Caledonian gallinule	Porphyrio kukwiedei	New Caledonia	The most recent remains are from 86-428 CE.
Huahine swamphen	Porphyrio mcnabi	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	The most recent remains are from 700-1150 CE.
Marquesas swamphen	Porphyrio paepae	Hiva Oa and Tahuata, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia	Although known from old bones, it might have survived until the 20th century. A painting from 1902 shows a bird being hunted by a dog, and someone saw a similar bird in 1937.	Marquesas swamphen
Rota swamphen	Porphyrio sp.	Rota, Mariana Islands	Known from old bones.
Viti Levu rail	Vitirallus watlingi	Viti Levu, Fiji	Known from old bones. It seemed to live only in lowlands, which were more likely to have fires. It probably disappeared due to hunting, habitat loss, and predators like the Polynesian rat.
Kosrae crake	Zapornia monasa	Kosrae, Micronesia	Known from two birds collected in 1827-1828. Locals considered it sacred and didn't hunt it. It likely disappeared due to rats, which were common when scientists looked for the bird again in 1880.
Tahiti crake	Zapornia nigra	Tahiti, Society Islands, and possibly Mangaia, Cook Islands	This bird was drawn in the 1770s. It disappeared soon after from Tahiti.	Tahiti crake
Mangaia crake	Zapornia rua	Mangaia, Cook Islands	Known from old bones.
Easter Island crake	Zapornia sp.	Easter Island, Chile	Disappeared between 1000 and 1430 CE.
Buka swamphen	Porphyrio sp.	Buka Island, part of the Solomon Islands	This bird is only known from prehistoric times.
Easter Island rail	Rallidae incertae sedis	Easter Island, Chile	Disappeared between 1000 and 1430 CE.
	Rallidae incertae sedis	Tonga	A rail species known from 855-730 BCE.

Possibly Extinct Rails

These rails might still be alive, but we don't have recent confirmed sightings.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
New Caledonian rail	Gallirallus lafresnayanus	New Caledonia	Not seen for sure since 1890. It was likely wiped out by predators like rats, cats, and pigs. However, some unconfirmed sightings suggest it might still survive in mountain forests where predators can't reach.	New Caledonian rail
Samoan wood rail	Pareudiastes pacificus	Savai'i, Samoa	Last seen in 1873. It was likely wiped out by hunting and predators like rats, cats, dogs, and pigs.	Samoan wood rail
Makira woodhen	Pareudiastes silvestris	Makira, Solomon Islands	Known from one bird collected in 1929 and one sighting in 1953. It likely disappeared due to introduced predators like cats, dogs, and electric ants.

Rails Extinct in the Wild

These rails only survive in captivity or have been reintroduced to small, protected areas.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Guam rail	Hypotaenidia owstoni	Guam	This bird disappeared from the wild in 1987 because of the introduced brown tree snake. After a breeding program, some were released onto smaller islands in 2010.	Guam rail

Locally Extinct Rails

These birds still exist elsewhere but have disappeared from these specific islands.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Lewin's rail	Lewinia pectoralis	Australia, Wallacea, New Guinea, and New Caledonia	This bird disappeared from New Caledonia after humans settled there.	Lewin's rail

Shorebirds: Birds of the Coast

Sandpipers

These birds are often found near water, probing for food.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Viti Levu snipe	Coenocorypha miratropica	Viti Levu, Fiji	Known from old bones. It probably disappeared due to predators like pigs, dogs, and Polynesian rats.
New Caledonian snipe	Coenocorypha neocaledonica	New Caledonia	Known from two old arm bones. It was probably wiped out by introduced rats.
Christmas sandpiper	Prosobonia cancellata	Kiritimati, Kiribati	Only known from one bird collected in 1778, which was later lost. It was probably wiped out by invasive cats.	Christmas sandpiper
Moorea sandpiper	Prosobonia ellisi	Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Only known from two paintings based on birds collected in 1777. It was probably wiped out by invasive mammals, and habitat loss might have also played a part.	Moorea sandpiper
Tahiti sandpiper	Prosobonia leucoptera	Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Known from one bird collected in 1773. It might have been wiped out by habitat loss caused by invasive pigs and goats, or by predators like rats.	Tahiti sandpiper

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

These are seabirds often seen near coasts.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Huahine gull	Chroicocephalus utunui	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	The most recent remains are from 700-1150 CE. It might have disappeared due to hunting, loss of its home, disease, or predators like introduced mammals.

Buttonquails

These are small, quail-like birds.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
New Caledonian buttonquail	Turnix varius novaecaledoniae	New Caledonia	Only known from one specimen collected in 1889 and old bones. It likely disappeared due to deforestation (cutting down forests) by burning and introduced mammals.

Pelicans, Herons, and Ibises

Herons

Herons are long-legged, long-necked birds that wade in water.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Easter Island heron	cf. Egretta sp.	Easter Island, Chile	Disappeared around 1000-1430 CE.
Niue night heron	Nycticorax kalavikai	Niue	The most recent remains are from 2550-1550 BCE. It likely disappeared due to hunting and predators like introduced mammals.
	Nycticorax sp.	Tonga	Known from old bones.

Hawks and Relatives

Hawks, Eagles, Kites, Harriers and Old World Vultures

These are birds of prey.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Powerful goshawk	Accipiter efficax	New Caledonia	These two species were last dated to 86-428 CE. We don't know why they disappeared, especially since New Caledonia still has two other hawk species. It's possible they lived in different places or that the current hawks arrived after these ones disappeared.
Gracile goshawk	Accipiter quartus
Vanuatu hawk	Accipiter sp.	Vanuatu	Known from old bones. It disappeared after the Lapita people arrived.

Owls

True Owls

Locally Extinct Owls

These owls still exist elsewhere but have disappeared from these specific islands.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Images
Morepork	Ninox novaeseelandiae	New Caledonia, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, and New Zealand	This owl disappeared from New Caledonia after humans settled there.	Morepork

Barn-owls

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
New Caledonian barn owl	Tyto letocarti	New Caledonia	This owl mostly ate reptiles. It disappeared when the number of reptiles dropped after humans and the Polynesian rat arrived in New Caledonia. Later, the common barn owl (T. alba), which eats rodents, moved to the island.

Kingfishers and Relatives

Kingfishers

Kingfishers Extinct in the Wild

These kingfishers only survive in captivity.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Guam kingfisher	Todiramphus cinnamominus	Guam	After the introduced brown tree snake caused a huge drop in their numbers, the last 29 birds were caught in 1986 and taken to the United States. There are now over a hundred in captivity.	Guam kingfisher

Parrots

Old World Parrots

These are colorful, intelligent birds.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Raiatea parakeet	Cyanoramphus ulietanus	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Known from two birds believed to have been collected during Captain Cook's voyages in the 1770s.	Raiatea parakeet
Black-fronted parakeet	Cyanoramphus zealandicus	Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last collected in 1844. It might have disappeared due to habitat loss, hunting, or new predators.	Black-fronted parakeet
Oceanic eclectus	Eclectus infectus	'Eua, Lifuka, Uiha, and Vava'u in Tonga; possibly also Vanuatu and Fiji	Known from old bones. A live bird was likely drawn in 1793. It probably disappeared soon after due to hunting and new mammals.	Oceanic eclectus
Sinoto's lorikeet	Vini sinotoi	Marquesas and Society Islands	The most recent remains are from 810-1025 CE. It might have disappeared due to Polynesian rats.
Conquered lorikeet	Vini vidivici	Marquesas, Society, and Cook Islands	The most recent remains are from 1000-1200 CE. It might have disappeared due to Polynesian rats.	Conquered lorikeet
Easter Island parrots	Psittaciformes incertae sedis	Easter Island, Chile	Two species disappeared between 1000 and 1430 CE.

Possibly Extinct Parrots

These parrots might still be alive, but it's uncertain.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
New Caledonian lorikeet	Charmosyna diadema	New Caledonia	Known from two birds collected before 1860. There was an unconfirmed sighting in 1976.	New Caledonian lorikeet

Perching Birds: Songbirds

Pittas

Pittas are colorful, shy birds that live on the forest floor.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Bougainville black-faced pitta	Pitta anerythra pallida	Bougainville Island, part of the Solomon Islands	Last seen in 1938.	Bougainville black-faced pitta

Fantails and Silktails

Fantails are small, active birds that spread their tails like a fan.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Guam rufous fantail	Rhipidura rufifrons uraniae	Guam	Last seen in 1984 or 1985. It disappeared mainly because of the introduced brown tree snake, but rats, monitor lizards, and possibly pesticides also played a role.	Guam rufous fantail

Reed Warblers

These are small, plain birds that live in reeds and bushes.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Mangareva reed warbler	Acrocephalus astrolabii	Unknown; possibly the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia	Only known from two birds collected in the 1820s or 1830s. It likely disappeared due to deforestation and introduced predators.
Moorea reed warbler	Acrocephalus longirostris	Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1973. It probably disappeared due to severe deforestation, predators, or avian malaria (a bird disease) that arrived in the 1970s.	Moorea reed warbler
Nightingale reed warbler	Acrocephalus luscinius	Guam	Last seen in 1969. It was wiped out by the introduced brown tree snake. Habitat loss, fires, pesticides, and other predators also contributed.	Nightingale reed warbler
Huahine warbler	Acrocephalus musae garretti	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Only known from five birds collected around 1869. It likely disappeared due to introduced rats.
Raiatea warbler	Acrocephalus musae musae	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last collected between 1870 and 1873.	Raiatea warbler
Aguijan reed warbler	Acrocephalus nijoi	Aguiguan, Mariana Islands	Last seen in the mid-1990s. It disappeared due to habitat loss from deforestation and goats eating plants.
Pagan reed warbler	Acrocephalus yamashinae	Pagan, Mariana Islands	Last seen in the 1970s. It was wiped out by draining its wetland home for farming, livestock eating plants, predators like cats and rats, and military land use. A volcanic eruption in 1981 might have finished it off.

Grassbirds and Allies

Possibly Extinct Grassbirds

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Vanua Levu long-legged thicketbird	Cincloramphus rufus cluniei	Vanua Levu, Fiji	Only known from one specimen collected in 1974. There was an unconfirmed sighting in 1990.

White-eyes

White-eyes are small, active birds, often with a ring of white feathers around their eyes.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Guam bridled white-eye	Zosterops conspicillatus conspicillatus	Guam	Last seen in 1983. It disappeared due to the introduced brown tree snake.	Guam bridled white-eye

Starlings

Starlings are medium-sized, often dark-colored birds.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Kosrae starling	Aplonis corvina	Kosrae, Micronesia	Last collected in 1828. It disappeared due to introduced rats.	Kosrae starling
Huahine starling	Aplonis diluvialis	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	The most recent remains are from 700-1150 CE.
Mysterious starling	Aplonis mavornata	Mauke, Cook Islands	Only known from one specimen collected in 1825. It disappeared due to introduced rats.
Raiatea starling	Aplonis ulietensis	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Known from a painting and descriptions from 1774. It's thought to have been wiped out by introduced rats.	Raiatea starling
Erromango starling	Aplonis sp.	Erromango, Vanuatu	Last dated after 950 BCE.

Possibly Extinct Starlings

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Pohnpei starling	Aplonis pelzelni	Pohnpei, Micronesia	Last collected in 1995, with unconfirmed sightings in 2008. The reasons for its decline are unknown, but habitat loss, hunting, and introduced rats have been suggested.	Pohnpei starling

Monarch Flycatchers

These are small, active birds that catch insects in flight.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Guam flycatcher	Myiagra freycineti	Guam	This bird's population crashed quickly after brown tree snakes were introduced. The last male died in captivity in 1984. Introduced diseases might have also played a part.	Guam flycatcher
	Myiagra sp.	Ua Huka, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia	Known from old bones.
Eiao monarch	Pomarea fluxa	Eiao, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1977. It disappeared soon after a new bird was introduced, suggesting a bird disease might have spread. It also declined due to habitat loss from sheep grazing and predators like cats and rats.
Nuku Hiva monarch	Pomarea nukuhivae	Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1930s. It declined due to habitat loss from grazing and fires, and predators like the black rat.
Maupiti monarch	Pomarea pomarea	Maupiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Only known from one specimen collected in 1823. It was likely wiped out by introduced species.	Maupiti monarch

Possibly Extinct Monarch Flycatchers

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Ua Pou monarch	Pomarea mira	Ua Pou, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia	Last confirmed record in 1985, with an unconfirmed sighting in 2010. It likely declined due to habitat loss from overgrazing and fires, along with predators.

Reptiles: Cold-Blooded Animals

Crocodilians: Large Reptiles

Mekosuchines

These were ancient crocodiles.

Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Mekosuchus inexpectatus	Grande Terre and Isle of Pines, New Caledonia	Possibly survived until 140-280 CE.	Mekosuchus inexpectatus
Mekosuchus kalpokasi	Efate, Vanuatu	Known from old bones from around 1050 BCE.
Volia athollandersoni	Fiji	The most recent remains are from 950 BCE.	Volia athollandersoni

Squamates: Lizards and Snakes

Australia-New Zealand Geckos

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Delcourt's giant gecko	Gigarcanum delcourti	Unknown; probably New Caledonia	Only known from a stuffed specimen found in a museum in 1986. We don't know where or when it was collected, but it's thought to be from the 1830s. It was once thought to be from New Zealand, but recent studies show it's from New Caledonia.	Delcourt's giant gecko

Skinks

Skinks are a type of lizard.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Tonga ground skink	Tachygia microlepis	Tonga	Only known from specimens collected in the 1820s.

Iguanas and Chuckwallas

These are types of lizards.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Tongan giant iguana	Brachylophus gibbonsi	Tonga and Aiwa Levu, Fiji	It might have been brought to Fiji by Tongan visitors. It was hunted to extinction, disappearing from Tonga around 900 BCE and from Fiji around 350 BCE.	Tongan giant iguana
Fiji giant iguana	Lapitiguana impensa	Fiji	The most recent remains are from 950 BCE.	Fiji giant iguana

Monitor Lizards

Monitor lizards are large lizards.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
New Caledonian goanna	Varanus sp.	New Caledonia	It was present before humans arrived and is thought to have disappeared because of human activity, though we don't have direct proof of humans interacting with it.

Turtles and Tortoises

Horned Turtles

These were ancient turtles with horns on their heads.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Vanuatu horned turtle	Meiolania damelipi	Vanuatu and Viti Levu, Fiji	Hunted to extinction by about 810 BCE.
New Caledonia horned turtle	Meiolania mackayi	New Caledonia	Disappeared around 531 CE.	New Caledonia horned turtle

Amphibians: Frogs and Toads

Frogs

Wrinkled Ground Frogs

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Giant Fiji ground frog	Platymantis megabotoniviti	Viti Levu, Fiji	This frog disappeared after humans arrived in Fiji, bringing rats with them. Unlike other frogs that survived, this one lived only on the ground and not near water or in trees. It probably had large eggs and young, making it easy prey for new predators.

Insects: Tiny Creatures

Beetles

Predaceous Diving Beetles

Scientific name	Where they lived
Rhantus novacaledoniae	New Caledonia

Moths and Butterflies

Smoky Moths

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Levuana moth	Levuana iridescens	Viti Levu, Fiji	Last seen in 1956. It disappeared after a parasitic fly was introduced to control pests on coconut farms. However, some argue this moth wasn't native to Fiji and that its disappearance is due to less insect research after Fiji became independent.	Levuana moth

Snails and Slugs: Shells and Slime

Land Snails

Bothriembryontidae Family

These are types of land snails.

Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Leucocharis loyaltiensis	New Caledonia	Last seen in the 1900s.
Leucocharis porphyrocheila	New Caledonia	Last seen in the 1900s.	Leucocharis porphyrocheila

Charopidae Family

These are types of land snails.

Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Mautodontha acuticosta	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha consimilis	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha consobrina	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha maupiensis	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha parvidens	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha punctiperforata	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha saintjohni	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha subtilis	French Polynesia	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha unilamellata	Cook Islands	Last seen in the 1880s.
Mautodontha zebrina	Cook Islands	Last seen in the 1880s.

Helicarionidae Family

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived
Mount Matafao different snail	Diastole matafaoi	American Samoa

Partulidae Family: Tree Snails

These snails are known for living on trees. Many disappeared due to an introduced predatory snail.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Huahine Tiny Tree Snail	Partula arguta	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Wiped out by the introduced predatory snail Euglandina rosea. The last captive snail died in 1994.
Raiatean Ground Partula	Partula atilis	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1992. Wiped out by E. rosea.
Golden Partula	Partula aurantia	Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in 1977.
Auriculate Tree Snail	Partula auriculata	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1992. Wiped out by E. rosea.
Tahaa Banded Tree Snail	Partula bilineata	Taha'a, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in the 1980s.
Thick-Lipped Tree Snail	Partula crassilabris	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Believed to have been wiped out by E. rosea around 1991-1992.
Raiatean Banded Tree Snail	Partula cuneata	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1992. Wiped out by E. rosea.
Aphrodite's Tree Snail	Partula cytherea	Papenoo valley, Tahiti, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in 1977.
Raiatean Streaked Tree Snail	Partula dolichostoma	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1992. Wiped out by E. rosea.
Slender Mountain Tree Snail	Partula dolorosa	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1992. Wiped out by E. rosea.
Tahaa Hermit Tree Snail	Partula eremita	Taha'a, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in the late 1980s.
Burch's Partula	Partula jackieburchi	Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen after E. rosea was introduced in 1977.
Vinuous Tree Snail	Partula labrusca	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since 1992 due to E. rosea. The last captive snail died in 2002.
Thin-Lipped Tree Snail	Partula leptochila	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1992. Wiped out by E. rosea.
Raiatean Ground Partula	Partula levistriata	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in 1992. Wiped out by E. rosea.
Bora Bora Tree Snail	Partula lutea	Bora Bora, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in 1986.	Bora Bora Tree Snail
Tahaa Large Tree Snail	Partula planilabrum	Tahaa, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in the late 1980s.
Tahitian Banded Tree Snail	Partula producta	Faurahi Valley, Tahiti, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in 1977.
Raiatean Banded Partula	Partula protracta	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Thought to have disappeared around 1991-1992 because of E. rosea.
Remote Tree Snail	Partula remota	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Thought to have disappeared around 1991-1992 because of E. rosea.
Mount Alifana partula	Partula salifana	Guam
Arrow-head tree snail	Partula sagitta	Tahaa, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in the late 1980s.
Swollen Raiatea tree snail	Partula turgida	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in the wild in 1992 due to E. rosea. The last captive snail died in 1996.	Swollen Raiatea tree snail
Tahaa Squat Tree Snail	Partula umbilicata	Tahaa, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen since E. rosea was introduced in the late 1980s.

Possibly Extinct Tree Snails

These snails might still be alive, but it's uncertain.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened
Pohnpei ground partula snail	Partula guamensis	Pohnpei, Micronesia	Last seen in 1936. It declined due to predators like flatworms, brown rats, black rats, Polynesian rats, and the snail E. rosea.

Tree Snails Extinct in the Wild

These snails only survive in captivity or have been reintroduced to small, protected areas.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Toothed Partula	Partula dentifera	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in the wild in 1992 because of E. rosea.
Captain Cook's bean snail	Partula faba	Raiatea and Taha'a, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in the wild in 1992 because of E. rosea. Only snails from Raiatea survive in captivity.	Captain Cook's bean snail
Rose-tipped partula snail	Partula hebe	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Last seen in the wild in 1992 because of E. rosea.	Rose-tipped partula snail
Miracle Tree Snail	Partula mirabilis	Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since E. rosea was introduced in 1977.
Moorean Smooth Tree Snail	Partula mooreana	Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since E. rosea was introduced in 1977. A program to reintroduce them started in 2016.	Moorean Smooth Tree Snail
Raiatean ground partula snail	Partula navigatoria	Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	The last wild snails were taken for a breeding program in 1992. The species was reintroduced in 2016.
Tahitian Nodular Partula	Partula nodosa	Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since E. rosea was introduced in 1977.
Pink Partula	Partula rosea	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since E. rosea was introduced in the early 1990s.	Pink Partula
Sutural partula	Partula suturalis	Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since E. rosea was introduced in 1977.	Sutural partula
Mount Tohiea Tree Snail	Partula tohiveana	Fareahito valley, Moorea, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since E. rosea was introduced in 1977.	Mount Tohiea Tree Snail
Mourning Partula	Partula tristis	Raiatea, French Polynesia	Last seen in the wild in 1992 because of E. rosea.
Variable Tree Snail	Partula varia	Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia	Not seen in the wild since E. rosea was introduced in the early 1990s. A reintroduction attempt began in 2018.	Variable Tree Snail

Plants: Green Life

Palm Trees

Palm Trees

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Easter Island palm	Paschalococos disperta	Easter Island, Chile	Disappeared between 1250 and 1650 CE. This was possibly due to people clearing land for farming and rats eating the palm nuts.	Easter Island palm symbols in rongorongo script

Legumes: Pea and Bean Family

Legumes

Legumes Extinct in the Wild

These plants only survive in cultivation or in botanical gardens.

Common name	Scientific name	Where they lived	What happened	Pictures
Toromiro	Sophora toromiro	Easter Island, Chile	The last wild tree was cut down in 1960. It now only exists in gardens in Chile and other countries. Attempts to plant it back in the wild have not been successful yet.	Toromiro

Images for kids

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  A drawing of Sylviornis neocaledoniae.

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  A drawing of the New Caledonian owlet-nightjar.

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  A drawing of the spotted green pigeon.

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  A drawing of the Choiseul pigeon.

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  A drawing of the Viti Levu giant pigeon.

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  A drawing of the Society Islands ground dove.

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  A drawing of the Tanna ground dove.

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  A drawing of the red-moustached fruit dove.

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  A drawing of the white-headed Polynesian ground dove.

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  A drawing of the Tongan ground dove.

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  A drawing of the Tongatapu rail.

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  A drawing of the Tahiti rail.

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  A drawing of the bar-winged rail.

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  A drawing of the Vava'u rail.

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  A drawing of the Wake Island rail.

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  A painting by Paul Gauguin that might show the Marquesas swamphen.

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  A drawing of the Tahiti crake.

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  A drawing of the New Caledonian rail.

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  A drawing of the Samoan wood rail.

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  A Guam rail in captivity.

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  A Lewin's rail.

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  A drawing of the Christmas sandpiper.

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  A drawing of the Moorea sandpiper.

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  A drawing of the Tahiti sandpiper.

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  An Abbott's booby.

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  A morepork.

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  A Guam kingfisher in captivity.

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  A drawing of the Raiatea parakeet.

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  A drawing of the black-fronted parakeet.

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  A drawing of the oceanic eclectus.

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  A drawing of the conquered lorikeet.

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  A drawing of the New Caledonian lorikeet.

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  A drawing of the Bougainville black-faced pitta.

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  A specimen of the Guam rufous fantail.

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  A drawing of the Moorea reed warbler.

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  A drawing of the Nightingale reed warbler.

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  A drawing of the Raiatea warbler.

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  A drawing of the Guam bridled white-eye.

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  A drawing of the Kosrae starling.

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  A drawing of the Raiatea starling.

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  A specimen of the Pohnpei starling.

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  A drawing of the Guam flycatcher.

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  A drawing of the Maupiti monarch.

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  A drawing of Mekosuchus inexpectatus.

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  A drawing of Volia athollandersoni.

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  A specimen of Delcourt's giant gecko.

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  A drawing of the Tongan giant iguana.

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  A drawing of the Fiji giant iguana.

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  A drawing of the New Caledonia horned turtle.

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  A drawing of the Levuana moth.

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  A specimen of Leucocharis porphyrocheila.

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  A specimen of the Bora Bora tree snail.

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  A specimen of the swollen Raiatea tree snail.

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  A specimen of Captain Cook's bean snail.

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  A specimen of the rose-tipped partula snail.

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  A Moorean smooth tree snail.

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  A pink partula snail.

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  A sutural partula snail.

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  A Mount Tohiea tree snail.

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  A variable tree snail.

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  Easter Island palm symbols in rongorongo script.

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  A Toromiro tree.

See also

• Lists of extinct species
• List of Australia-New Guinea species extinct in the Holocene
• List of Hawaiian animals extinct in the Holocene
• List of New Zealand species extinct in the Holocene
• List of extinct bird species since 1500
• Extinct in the wild
• Lazarus taxon
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service
• IUCN Red List