Of all sad stories that are to be found in the annals of natural history, that of the Great Auk-or Pinguinus impennis-is about the saddest of all. This huge, flightless bird has ranged from the icy waters of the Arctic to the temperate shores of North America and Europe. Its original range was the North Atlantic. Hence, the resemblance of the plumage of the Great Auk when erected to black-and-white really impresses the penguins of the southern hemisphere from which the word “penguin” had been applied before it was used to describe its Australian counterparts.
Resource Utilization and Overhunting
The Great Auk’s journey from plenty to extinction is a complicated tale that is entwined with centuries of human-nature interaction. These birds have been a valuable resource for coastal communities for many years. Feathers serve as insulation, fat supplies oil for the lamp, and meat is their main food source. However, the Great Auk’s fall was caused by these characteristics. The species is in danger of going extinct as a result of the increased hunting intensity brought on by the growing demand for these resources.
When the effects of overhunting became apparent in the 1870s, the first conservation ordinance was passed with the goal of preserving the Great Auk. The Great Auk was first protected in 1553, and by 1794, the Great Auk’s killing for feathers was outlawed in Britain. Despite these initial attempts, the law had little impact on reducing exploitation, and law enforcement was ineffectual. In St. John, hunting as bait is still permitted, but violators of the 1775 ordinance that forbids hunting Great Auk feathers or eggs are publicly lashed. The difficulties early environmentalists encountered in striking a balance between animal protection and economic requirements are highlighted by this selective enforcement.
Rarity and Extinction
The Great Auk quickly gained significance among collectors and museums because to its scarcity. The value of Great Auk specimens soars as the population declines, giving hunters and collectors unfair incentives. The museum has contributed to the extinction of this species by collecting specimens from a fast declining population in order to preserve and exhibit it. Despite its noble intentions, this strategy exposes a basic misconception about conservation: living animals, not simply their bones, must be preserved.
The last Great Auk pair was killed on the Icelandic island of Eldi on July 3, 1844. These birds were killed by fisherman who thought they were creating a storm or by merchants who were looking for specimens for collectors. Decades of mistreatment and ignorance of the natural world culminated to the last act of aggression against the Great Auk, which was not an isolated incident.
The Great Auk’s demise serves as a depressing reminder of both the environment’s damage from human activities and the frailty of life. The American Ornithological Society’s peer-reviewed academic publication “the Auk” is now named after this bird as a nod to the extinct species and a cautionary tale about dishonest scientific pursuits. In addition to being a historical marvel, the Great Oak narrative serves as a warning to environmentalists and the general public to acknowledge the negative effects of human activities and work toward a more sustainable cohabitation with nature.
Related posts:
The extinction of The Great Auk
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Great Auk — The Extinctions
Great auk
