Extinct Animals… or are they?
Submitted by Laura Guertin on Sun, 07/17/2011 - 2:00pm
With advances in technology and access to remote locations across the globe, scientists are rediscovering species that were once thought to have disappeared or thought to be extinct.
Articles to Share with Students
- Rainbow Toad Rediscovered, Photographed for First Time
- "Lost" Fox Subspecies Found via Saliva Analysis
- Alabama Snail Returns from the Dead
- General Extinction Information Extinction – From PBS Evolution series
- Endangered and Extinct Species – New York Times Science Topics
- Photos: Bubble-nest Frog, Other "Extinct" Species Found
Questions for Classroom Discussion
- What does it mean for a species to be extinct?
- What are some reasons why species go extinct?
- Why do scientists mistakenly label some species as extinct?
- How can scientists tell if they have found a long-lost species, or if what they have discovered is a new species?
- What is the difference between an endangered species, an extinct species, and a living fossil? Give an example of each.