Zoo marks 100th anniversary of extinct bird
A large surge in deforestation and hunting saw passenger pigeons quickly driven towards extinction.
ZSL London Zoo will today observe 100 years since the death of the world's last passenger pigeon.
The pigeon, named Martha, passed away in Cincinnati Zoo in 1914 and her species became extinct. At 12pm today, the exact hour at which she died, bird keepers will stop time on the zoo's iconic clock tower, outside of its Victorian bird house.
The passenger pigeon was in abundence throughout the 19th Century. Flocks of more than 100 million birds would regularly flood the sky. However, in just a few decades, a large surge in deforestation and hunting saw them quickly driven towards extinction, with Martha being the last survivor.
Ultimately caused by humans, the passenger pigeon's demise is one of the fastest and most dramatic extinctions ever seen.
Ken Norris, director of science at London Zoo, said: "The 100th anniversary of Martha's death is not only a chance to remember her species, but to draw attention to the plight of countless other species who continue to face extinction because of our actions.
"At ZSL we are working on dozens of conservation and research projects around the world to help prevent future extinctions, but as the example of the passenger pigeon demonstrated, we need to act as quickly as we can before there are many more Marthas."
The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.
