Mother nature is a mysterious force that sometimes presents us with mysterious puzzles that we have little hope of solving. This is particularly true of animals that have long captured our curiosity, whether through their incredulous behaviors or their mysterious ways. And so there are certain cases where entire species or individual animals seem to vanish without a trace, leaving behind only questions and speculation.
Understanding the Unexplainable
A lot of the time, we can’t explain these disappearances; we can only speculate as to why some creatures vanish, never to be seen again. A likely answer can be found in examining changing environments, where animals disappear because of losses to their habitat or increased pollution. There may be other natural reasons, such as disease, for animals to vanish, leaving us to question why.
1. The Passenger Pigeon Extinction
Once the most abundant bird species in North America, passenger or wild pigeons (Ectopistes migratorius) abruptly vanished, most likely due to overhunting and habitat destruction. However, in the early 20th century, their rapidly declining population mystified scientists and challenged conventional views on species extinction dynamics. The last passenger pigeon, Martha, died in captivity in 1914.
2. The Tasmanian Tiger
The Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus), also known as the Tasmanian wolf, is native to Australia and New Guinea. This marsupial carnivore disappeared from the wild by 1930, with the last known individual dying in captivity in 1936. Its disappearance is a stark reminder of human impact on wildlife as its extinction is likely due to hunting and a need to compete for food with species introduced into their habitat.
3. When Dogs Disappear
Making for a mysterious tale, dogs have been known to disappear on mass. For example, 15 dogs vanished from a small area in Northern New York starting in 2013, another 50 to 60 dogs disappeared within 12 months in Reading, Pennsylvania, and finally, roughly 30 dogs went missing in Idaho in 2012 and 2013. These disappearances resulted in speculation ranging from ritualistic killings to mass theft, detailing the enigma of animal vanishings.
4. Baal’s Black Bass
Baal’s Black Bass (Pseudocrenilabrus speelmani) once freely swam in Lake Fundudzi in South Africa. This freshwater fish was considered unique and intriguing, prompting ichthyologists to document the species in the 1930s. However, we may never know why black bass were never seen again, and without much observational data. Its disappearance puzzled researchers and resulted in conflicting theories about its existence and extinction.
5. Steller’s Sea Cow
Native to the North Pacific and discovered by German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller in 1741, Steller’s Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) was a large marine herbivore that disappeared from existence within 27 years of their discovery. The sea cow’s extinction was largely attributed to overexploitation by humans, who hunted it for its fat and meat. This disappearance so soon after its discovery is an example and a terrible reminder of how quickly uncontrolled human activity can wipe out a species.
6. The Golden Toad
Last seen in Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest in 1989, the Golden Toad (Bufo periglenes) was vividly colored and striking in appearance, making it a well-documented amphibian. The toad’s disappearance is largely believed to be the result of climate change, habitat destruction, and a disease called chytridiomycosis from the chytrid fungus. Its extinction highlights the increasing decline of amphibian populations worldwide.
7. Guelph’s Cat Mass Disappearance
Dogs aren’t the only domestic animals to mysteriously disappear. Although we expect our cats to vanish for hours, we do not expect dozens to disappear for no reason, never to come back home. This was the case in Guelph, southwestern Ontario, Canada, where cats disappeared with no signs of natural predation, disease, or injury in 2014. Although some remains were found dismembered, it couldn’t be determined whether animals or humans had played a part.
8. The Great Auk Extinction
The Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis) was a flightless bird hunted to extinction. As the birds created nests on the ground, they were particularly defenseless, making them easy prey for hunters. Humans hunted them for their feathers, fat, and meat. The Great Auk was last sighted in 1852. This bird became particularly targeted when whale hunting became popular in the late 1700s. However, the speed and completeness of its disappearance are still studied for insights into ecological collapse.
9. The Birds of New Zealand
Moa birds (Dinornithiformes) were native to New Zealand and, as flightless birds, they were easy prey for early human settlers in the 1300s. They were hunted as a source of food, which led to their extinction by 1445. As the Moa birds died out, so too did the Haast’s eagle (Hieraaetus moorei), which was the bird’s only natural predator until humans. The rapidity of their decline, the likely destruction of their natural habitat, and the effects of this on other species highlight how human activity can negatively affect natural ecosystems.
10. The Baiji Dolphin
Once found in the Yangtze River in China, the Baiji or river dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) was declared extinct in 2006 as the first dolphin species to be eradicated through human activity. Since as a symbol of peace in Chinese tradition, the dolphin’s extinction is primarily linked to pollution and overfishing, but the exact circumstances of its disappearance still remain unclear, highlighting the challenges of conserving aquatic species.
Animals that Disappear
From the above, we can see that many species and individual animals have simply vanished, either to extinction or elsewhere. But their disappearances make us question what our impact is on the animal kingdom and what more we can do to ensure that we don’t lose more species or that the animals don’t decide to abandon us entirely.
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