25 Animals That Went Extinct in 2023

Many birds, fish, mollusks, and other animals went extinct in 2023. However, declaring an animal extinct means that many of these creatures probably ceased to exist on the planet many years ago. There are some repeat figures on this list from 2021 due to the slow process of delisting animals. There are also some new additions, mainly obscure species previously found in specific areas and nowhere else on the planet. Discover the animals that officially went extinct in 2023, including their prior habitat and why they went extinct.

1. Kauaʻi ʻAkialoa

A tiny bird with a curved bill, the kauaʻi ʻakialoa, or Hemignathus procerus, was olive green and lived on several of the Hawaiian islands. Kauaʻi ʻakialoa hunted arthropods on the ‘ōhi‘a and koa trees. The last known sighting of this honeycreeper species occurred in the Alaka’i Wilderness Preservation. Scientists speculate that the cause of extinction relates heavily to disease and habit loss.

2. Kauaʻi Nukupuʻu

The male and female kauaʻi nukupuʻu, or Hemignathus lucidus hanapepe, had slight sexual dimorphism, with the males mostly yellow and the females mostly dull white. This honeycreeper species was fairly large with a short tail and long, thin bill. The most likely cause of extinction is disease, specifically mosquito-born, but also habitat loss.

3. Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō

This honeyeater species was endemic to Kauai, meaning it occurred on that island exclusively. The Kauaʻi ʻōʻō, or Moho braccatus, was a small bird without the flashy feathers of related species. Although little is known about this animal that officially went extinct in 2023, observers noted that it fed a lot from a flower species that grows in lowland forests. People last sighted the kauaʻi ʻōʻō in the Alaka’i swamp in 1985. Habitat loss and degradation due to hurricanes probably hastened their demise.

4. Kāmaʻo

Last seen in 1987, the kāma’o, or Myadestes myadestinus, was one of two solitaire species that inhabited the Kauai island. It had a very beautiful and complex song consisting of warbles, whistles, and trills. Like many other Hawaiian birds that have become extinct, this species most likely died out due to habitat degradation and disease.

5. Maui Ākepa

The petite Maui ‘ākepa, or Loxops coccineus ochraceus, was a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper that survived on insects. It was officially declared extinct in 2023, although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first proposed to delist the species in 2021. Less than 10 years after the last confirmed sighting, someone documented this tiny songbird’s unique call one last time in 1995.

6. Maui Nukupuʻu

Another Hawaiian honeycreeper, the Maui nukupuʻu, or Hemignathus affinis, lived in eastern Maui. It subsisted on ʻōhiʻa lehua and koa trees, which attracted its primary food source. The last confirmed sighting of a Maui nukupuʻu dates back to 1896, with later sightings related to a different bird.

7. Kākāwahie

This Hawaiian honeycreeper featured scarlet red males and rusty females. The kākāwahie, or Paroreomyza flammea, means “firewood” to represent the males’ bright red color. Like many other birds on the Hawaiian islands, this honeycreeper species became extinct due to habitat loss and mammal predation.

8. Poʻouli

The scientific world did not know this honeycreeper species, endemic to Maui, existed until 1973. Declared extinct in 2023, the po’ouli, or Melamprosops phaeosoma, had short wings and tail, a black face mask, and brown wings. Habitat loss due to degradation from feral pigs probably hastened the extinction of this bird. Conservation organizations made attempts to save this animal from extinction, but the last three birds in captivity died in 2004.

9. Bachman’s Warbler

A rare songbird, the Bachman’s warbler, or Vermivora bachmanii, primarily ate insects. Very few sightings made it challenging to document the behavior of this bird. It also made it hard to determine threats, although collisions with tall buildings were likely one of them.

10. Bridled White-Eye

A native subspecies on Guam, the bridled white-eye, or Zosterops conspicillatus conspicillatus, was a small bird. It lived in the forests of Guam and was last sighed in 1983. The introduction of the brown tree snake to the island led to a rapid decline of the bridled white-eye.

11. Little Mariana Fruit Bat

A small fruit bat, the little Mariana fruit bat, or Pteropus tokudae, had a tiny wingspan less than 30 inches in length. With the name Guam flying fox, this rare bat ate fruit and flowers in northern Guam. Predation by a nonnative snake species probably worsened the conservation of the little Mariana fruit bat.

12. San Marcos Gambusia

A tiny fish at only one inch long, the San Marcos gambusia, or Gambusia georgei, could be identified by a dark stripe on the edge of its dorsal fin. Before officially declared extinct in 2023, this fish species lived only in the San Marcos River in Hays County, Texas. Extinction resulted from reduced water flow from clear springs and extensive pollution from neighboring cities.

13. Scioto Madtom

The Scioto madtom, or Noturus trautmani, was a nocturnal catfish found in a tributary of the Scioto River. The extinction of this catfish likely resulted from pollution from industrial and agricultural sources and silt accumulation from dams. It hid under rocks during the daytime and came out at night to forage at the bottom of the creek. Ohio added the Scioto madtom to a list of endangered species in 1974, but conservation efforts could not save it.

14. Pointed Plateau Loach

A type of stone loach, the pointed plateau loach, or Triplophysa cuneicephala, could only be found near Beijing, China. This fish was related to other stone loaches, which survive in high altitudes in cold water. Habitat loss led to the extinction of this fish, as the Chinese government transformed streams into large reservoirs.

15. Java Stingaree

The Java stingaree, or Urolophus javanicus, was about the size of a frisbee. Only one specimen was ever collected back in 1862, and no others have ever been found in fish markets or the wild. Extensive habitat degradation in the area of Jakarta Bay is linked to the extinction of this fish.

16. Campo Grande Tree Frog

The elusive Campo Grande tree frog, or Boana cymbalum, has only ever been documented in one spot on earth and was recently declared extinct by the IUCN. Scientists noted it as a distinct species in Campo Grande da Serra in Brazil. Threats to its survival were development, invasive species, and pollution.

17. Cheongpung Blind-Beetle

The Cheongpung blind-beetle, or Coreoblemus parvicollis, was officially declared extinct in 2023 by the IUCN. This beetle lived in total darkness in the Cheongpungpunghyeol Cave, which sits near the Hankang River in South Korea. The most likely cause of extinction was habitat destruction after the cave flooded after the creation of the largest dam in South Korea.

Several Species of Freshwater Mussels:

18. Green-Blossom Pearly Mussel

19. Flat Pigtoe

20. Southern Acornshell

21. Stirrupshell

22. Tubercled-Blossom Pearly Mussel

23. Turgid-Blossom Pearly Mussel

24. Upland Combshell

25. Yellow-Blossom Pearly Mussel

Summary of # Animals That Went Extinct in 2023

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