Recent Extinctions: Dodo, Quagga, Thylacine, and Steller's Sea Cow
Biology · Biodiversity and Conservation · NEET
NCERT lists four famous recent extinctions: the dodo (Mauritius), quagga (Africa), thylacine (Australia), and Steller's sea cow (Russia). These animals died out in the last 500 years because of humans. Memory hook: "Dodo-Quagga-Thylacine-Steller" pairs with places "Mauritius-Africa-Australia-Russia" — remember them as one set, because NEET loves to swap the animal with the wrong place.
The four NCERT recent-extinction examples locked to their places: dodo-Mauritius, quagga-Africa, thylacine-Australia, Steller's sea cow-Russia. Only the dodo is a bird; the rest are mammals. Memorising these pairs answers NEET match-the-column questions instantly.
Your doubts, answered
Which animal goes with which place? (This is the exact match NEET tests.)
Dodo → Mauritius, Quagga → Africa, Thylacine → Australia, Steller's sea cow → Russia. NCERT also adds three tiger subspecies: Bali, Javan, and Caspian. If you only learn one thing, learn these animal-place pairs, because match-the-column questions swap them.
What kind of animal was the thylacine? Was it a bird?
No. The thylacine (also called the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf) was a carnivorous marsupial mammal from Australia, not a bird. Only the dodo in this list was a bird (a flightless pigeon-like bird of Mauritius).
Why did these animals become extinct? Was it the Evil Quartet?
NCERT lists them as examples of recent extinctions, and human activity is the driver. In PYQs, Steller's sea cow and the passenger pigeon are given as extinction by over-exploitation by humans. So when asked about the cause, the safe NCERT-backed answer for Steller's sea cow is over-exploitation, which is one member of the Evil Quartet.
What is the quagga and how is it different from a zebra?
The quagga was a partly-striped animal from Africa, related to the zebra. For NEET you only need: quagga = Africa = extinct. Do not overthink its stripes; the exam only tests the animal-place pairing and the fact that it is a recent extinction.
How many species have gone extinct recently, per NCERT?
NCERT (from the IUCN Red List, 2004) says 784 species went extinct in the last 500 years — 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates, and 87 plants. The last twenty years alone saw 27 species disappear. These numbers are common one-liner PYQs.
⚠️ The NEET trap ✗ Steller's sea cow → Australia, or thylacine → Africa (mixing up the animal with the wrong place). ✓ Dodo → Mauritius, Quagga → Africa, Thylacine → Australia, Steller's sea cow → Russia. Each animal has ONE fixed place in NCERT. 🧠 NEET's favourite trick here is a match-the-column that shuffles animal and place. Lock the four pairs as a chant so a swapped option instantly looks wrong.
Real NEET questions
NEET 2025
Match List I with List II: A. The Evil Quartet, B. Ex situ conservation, C. Lantana camara, D. Dodo | I. Cryopreservation, II. Alien species invasion, III. Causes of biodiversity losses, IV. Extinction. Choose the option with all correct matches.
A · A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I
B · A-III, B-II, C-IV, D-I
C · A-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV
D · A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV ✓
Solution: The Evil Quartet is the sobriquet for the four major causes of biodiversity loss (A-III). Ex situ conservation uses cryopreservation of gametes (B-I). Lantana camara is an invasive alien weed (C-II). The dodo of Mauritius is the classic example of recent extinction (D-IV). Only option (d) matches all four correctly.
NEET 2026
Which of the following statements are correct? A. Amazon rainforest cut for soyabean cultivation is habitat loss. B. Steller's sea cow and passenger pigeon became extinct due to over-exploitation by humans. C. Nile perch in Lake Victoria helped population growth of cichlid fish. D. Water hyacinth is an invasive species. E. When a species becomes extinct, associated species are not affected.
A · A, B and E only
B · A, B and D only ✓
C · C, D and E only
D · B, C and D only
Solution: A is correct (Amazon clearing for soya is the textbook habitat-loss case). B is correct — Steller's sea cow and passenger pigeon went extinct by over-exploitation. D is correct — water hyacinth (Eichhornia) is a named invasive species. C is wrong (Nile perch wiped out cichlids, not helped them) and E is wrong (co-extinction affects associated species). So A, B and D only.
Solved Biodiversity and Conservation NEET PYQs
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Which four recent extinction examples does NCERT give?
Dodo (Mauritius), quagga (Africa), thylacine (Australia), and Steller's sea cow (Russia). NCERT also mentions three extinct tiger subspecies: Bali, Javan, and Caspian.
Was the dodo a bird?
Yes. The dodo was a flightless bird from the island of Mauritius. It is the only bird in this group of four; the others are mammals (quagga, thylacine, Steller's sea cow).
Why did Steller's sea cow become extinct?
Due to over-exploitation by humans, according to NEET-tested NCERT wording. It is paired with the passenger pigeon as an over-exploitation example.
How many species went extinct in the last 500 years?
784 species per the IUCN Red List (2004): 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates, and 87 plants. The last twenty years saw 27 species disappear.
Is the thylacine the same as the Tasmanian tiger?
Yes. The thylacine is also called the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf. It was a carnivorous marsupial mammal from Australia, now extinct.
