The LRB Podcast
Great Auks!
Aug 28, 2024
Liam Shaw, an author focused on the great auk and its extinction, shares fascinating insights about this flightless bird once thriving in the North Atlantic. He discusses the ironic role of specimen collectors and conservationists in its decline, highlighting human impact on biodiversity. Shaw reflects on the emotional dimensions of extinction and the need to acknowledge animal suffering. The conversation also delves into the obsession with egg collecting, revealing the dark history that contributed to the great auk's fate.
43:40
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Quick takeaways
- The extinction of the Great Auk serves as a pivotal historical example illustrating the severe consequences of human activities on biodiversity.
- Explorations in the 1850s revealed the growing awareness among naturalists of humanity's role in accelerating species extinction, reshaping conservation perspectives.
Deep dives
The Great Ork: A Brief History
The Great Ork was a flightless seabird that once thrived in the North Atlantic, roughly the size of a two-year-old child, resembling a penguin. Initially mistaken for penguins by European sailors due to their appearance, the Great Ork’s name is believed to derive from Welsh or Latin, showcasing the historical debates surrounding its etymology. Existing for thousands of years, these birds were found along coasts from Canada to parts of Europe but faced extinction by the 1860s primarily due to hunting. Their decline highlights human impact on biodiversity, particularly as they became known as desirable trophies among collectors.
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