Extinction

Extinction is a term used by scientists to describe a situation where a particular organism, plant or animal, no longer exists on the Earth. Extinction is a major feature of evolution.

This has happened to lots of species over time, including the Dodo and Dinosaurs. Even earlier types of humans have become extinct. Many of the exhibits in natural history museums are from animals and plants which have become extinct, such as Woolly Mammoths (large hairy Elephants), Sabre Toothed Tigers and other creatures like Trilobites, which were large bug like creatures (the very first animals known to have had eyes!)

There are lots of different reasons why creatures and plants become extinct. Things like changes to the environment (weather getting warmer or colder) can affect how and where these creatures and plants grow, and it can also cause problems with what they eat and drink, or the soil they may grow in. Other times it can be caused by hunting animals too much. Some countries hunt whales and dolphins which had lead to some species of these animals being endangered, or threatened with extinction.

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