There are more extinct species than there are currently living on Earth, which makes our curiosity shoot through the roof. It’s no wonder we can’t get enough of those Jurassic Park movies. Luckily, we live in a time where science can turn back the clock, and similarly to the aforementioned movie franchise, de-extinct some of the world’s lost species. There are even lists of potential candidates available and they’re nothing short of fascinating.
1. Woolly mammoth
Size: Shoulder height for males reached about 8.9 feet and 11.2 feet with a weight of up to 6 tons.
Originated in: East Asia
Went extinct: 4,000 years ago
Closest living relative: African elephants
2. Quagga
Size: around 8’5″ long and 4’5″ tall
Originated in: South Africa
Went extinct: the late nineteenth century
Closest living relative: zebras
3. Elephant bird
Size: stood at 9.8 feet tall and weighed 1,600 lb
Originated in: Madagascar
Went extinct: around 1000 CE to 1200 CE
Closest living relative: kiwi birds
4. Baiji (Chinese river dolphin)
Size: Males were about 7.5 feet long while females could grow to be 8’2″.
Originated in: China
Went extinct: 2002
Closest living relative: the Chinese white dolphin
5. Glyptodont
Size: 12 feet long and 1.5 feet high
Originated in: North and South America
Went extinct: 8,000 to 7,000 years ago
Closest living relative: armadillos
6. Pyrenean ibex
Size: 5 feet long and 30 inches tall at the shoulder
Originated in: Southwestern Europe
Went extinct: The last living Pyrenean ibex was born in 2003 but died 7 minutes later due to a lυ̛ɴg defect.
Closest living relative: the ibex, also known as a wild mountain goat
7. Dodo
Size: around 3.3 feet tall
Originated in: Mauritius
Went extinct: in the seventeenth century
Closest living relative: the Nicobar pigeon
8. Tasmanian tiger
Size: 39 inches to 51 inches long and 24 inches high
Originated in: New Guinea and Australia
Went extinct: in the twentieth century
Closest living relative: the Tasmanian devil and the numbat
9. Ground sloth
Size: Nearly 20 feet long and weighed up to 6,600 lb
Originated in: South America
Went extinct: around 11,000 years ago
Closest living relative: Sloths
10. Saber-toothed tiger
Size: The largest species weighed between 485 lb to 961 lb and stood at 39 inches.
Originated in: North and South America
Went extinct: 10,000 years ago
Closest living relative: tigers
