The Great Auk
The Auk was a sea-going diving bird about the size of
a domestic goose, related to puffins. For a bird endowed
only with flipper-like wings, and therefore absolutely unable
to fly, this species had an astonishing geographic range.
It embraced the shores of northern Europe to North Cape,
southern Greenland, southern Labrador, and the Atlantic coast
of North America as far south as Massachusetts.
In the life history of this bird, a great tragedy was enacted
in 1800 by sailors on Funk Island, where men were landed
by a ship, and spent several months slaughtering great auks
and using their fat for oil. In this process, the bodies of thousands of auks were burned
as fuel. On Funk Island, a favorite breeding-place, the great auk was exterminated in
1840, and in Iceland in 1844. Many natives enjoyed eating the bird, and being easily
captured, either on land or sea, the commercialism of its day soon obliterated the
species. The last living specimen was seen in 1852, and the last dead one was picked
up in Trinity Bay, Ireland, in 1853.
How did the Great Auk become extinct? Use evidence from the passage to support your answer.
(use R.A.C.E stratagy)
The Great Auk became extinct primarily due to human activities. The passage mentions that sailors landed on Funk Island and slaughtered thousands of great auks for their fat, which was used for oil. This mass hunting and killing of the birds on their breeding grounds led to a rapid decline in their population. Additionally, the passage states that many natives enjoyed eating the bird, further contributing to their extermination.
Furthermore, the passage mentions that the great auk was easily captured on land or sea, making it vulnerable to commercial exploitation. The demand for the bird, whether for its fat, meat, or feathers, led to the species being hunted to extinction. The last living specimen was seen in 1852, and the last dead one was found in 1853, indicating that the population had been decimated by human actions.
In conclusion, human exploitation through hunting, capturing, and consumption played a significant role in the extinction of the Great Auk. The overexploitation of this species, coupled with their limited ability to fly and evade predators, ultimately led to their demise.