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Because of its resemblance to penguins, the Great Auk is also called the “penguin of the north.” However, the flightless bird, which became extinct not long after its initial discovery, is really a member of the auk family. The short wings that were unsuitable for flight through the air served as excellent propulsion devices under water. As agile divers, the Great Auks hunted for fish and other marine animals. Their dense plumage protected the birds against hypothermia in the cold water. Their down was coveted in the 19th century. Due to this fact, along with their flightlessness and their low reproduction rate (no more than one egg per year), the birds were doomed early on. By the beginning of the 19th century, the species had been extirpated by hunters and collectors. The last substantiated record dates back to 1884 and involved a breeding pair that was taken for collection purposes. Worldwide, only about 80 skins and mounted display specimen and 23 skeletons are known from different museums.

Details

  • Title: Great auk
  • Location: North Atlantic Ocean
  • Type: dermoplastic
  • Rights: Sven Tränkner Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
  • weight: 5 kg
  • size: 85 cm
  • scientific name: Alca impennis
  • geological Age: holocene (extinct)
  • age: until 1852

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