Great Auk

The Great Auk was a large, flightless seabird that lived in the North Atlantic, primarily around North America and Europe. It resembled a penguin but was not related, reaching about three feet in height and weighing up to 11 pounds. The auk relied on the ocean for food and nested on rocky islands. Due to overhunting for its feathers, meat, and eggs, combined with habitat loss, it became critically endangered and was officially extinct by the mid-19th century. Today, the Great Auk is remembered as a symbol of the consequences of human impact on wildlife.