Aark in the Dark

Many people think of extinction in terms of long-lost creatures like dinosaurs and mammoths, or distant species like the dodo or Tasmanian tiger. Because of this, extinction can feel like something distant and disconnected from our lives. But it happens close to home, too. The great auk, sea mink, Caribbean monk seal, and ivory-billed woodpecker were all native to the United States and are now gone forever. Here, we’re sharing the stories of six animal species that once lived in Pennsylvania but were driven to extinction by human activity, a reminder that even the wildlife in our own backyards can be driven to the brink.