Great Auk

1534 CE - 1852 CE

The Great Auk was a species of flightless bird, similar to and often misrecognized as a penguin, who lived specifically in colonies along isolated rocky outcroppings in the north Atlantic. The Great Auk were sensitive to climate fluctuation which exposed their breeding sites to predators and humans. Their numbers began to decline during the Little Ice Age in the 16th century but were decimated in the 19th century due to hunting and wanton killing by humans. There has recently been talk about reviving the species through genetic engineering.