The Great Auk - Its Extraordinary Life, Hideous Death and Mysterious Afterlife

The life, death and afterlife of one of the true icons of extinction, the Great Auk Since 1950 more than seventy percent of the world-s seabirds have been lost through human activity. The Great Auk was the first species to go. A goose-sized seabird superbly adapted for underwater flight, their lives were idyllic prior to the appearance of humans: three months ashore to breed, the rest of the time riding the ocean waves. However, Great Auks had one main predator - humans. Having harried the bird mercilessly for centuries in the east, the Europeans who stumbled upon the Great Auks- New World breeding colonies in the 16th century couldn-t believe their luck. Seabird colonies became fast-food restaurants for hungry sailors, with mariners gorging themselves on the liver-flavoured auk flesh for more than two centuries. The last two were killed in 1844, but the Great Auk lived on, with collectors obsessing over their skins, eggs and skeletons through dodgy dealings involving staggering amount