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.
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