Accounts of e X tinct Species

1. Accounts of eXtinct Species

2. The Heath Hen The heath hen, a small wild fowl, was a relative of the prairie chicken. Prior to the American revolution the heath hen was found in the Eastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia. Tympanuchuscupido

3. Expanding human populations in the colonies, put an enormous hunting pressure on heath hens. By the 1870’s the only heath hens left occupied a tiny island called Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Cape Cod in Mass. • In 1907 there were only 50 heath hens left on Martha’s vineyard • The following year a 1600-acre sanctuary was established for their protection.

5. The original 50 birds reproduced rapidly and by 1915 there were 2,000 individuals • However the entire population was still confined to the Island • Then in 1916 disaster strucka fire wiped out much of the habitat heath hens used for breeding

6. The following winter was harsh and an influx of goshawks hurt the population even more • Finally many of the remaining heath hens fell victim to a poultry disease brought to the island by domestic turkeys.

7. The last living heath hen, the final survivor of his species was seen on March 11, 1932. He died that year. ? -1932May you rest in peace!

8. Why did the Heath Hen become extinct? • Fire • Starvation • Predation • Disease The heath hen’s continued existence as a species would not have been so vulnerable to these events if their populations had not been so severely reduced by hunting by humans.

9. The story of the heath hen’s demise showshow reductions ingeographic rangeand population size caused by human activities can make a species vulnerable to natural events over which humans have little or no control. It also shows that designating a protective zone, or prohibiting the direct killing of an endangered species, does not guarantee the survival of the species.

10. Questions for thought 1. Martha’s vineyard is an island. What aspects of island biogeography may have affected the heath hen? 2. Can the poultry disease that was brought to the island by domestic turkeys be considered an anthropogenic factor? 3. Which of the other seemingly natural factors might have an anthropogenic component?