Tragic Stories Of 30 Extinct Animals

There are more than 1 million scientifically identified animal species on Earth, but we lose between 100 and 1,000 of them to extinction every year, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).[slideshow:104172]

Our planet is currently in its sixth major extinction crisis, the worst since the dinosaurs were decimated by an asteroid strike, scientists say. Unlike past mass extinctions, this crisis is predominately man-made.

From hunting and killing every last member of a species to polluting or destroying their habitats to introducing invasive species and disease, humans are responsible for eliminating hundreds of unique and amazing animals around the world.

Here are 30 amazing species that have disappeared within the last few centuries because of heartbreaking circumstances.

Click here for tragic stories of extinct animals