Last of Its Kind - The Search for the Great Auk and the Discovery of Extinction

"The great auk is one of the most tragic and documented examples of extinction. A flightless bird that bred primarily on the remote islands of the North Atlantic, the last of its kind were killed in Iceland in 1844. Gâisli Pâalsson draws on firsthand accounts from the Icelanders who hunted the last great auks to bring to life a bygone age of Victorian scientific exploration while offering vital insights into the extinction of species."--

About the author

Gísli Pálsson is professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Iceland. His books include The Human Age, Down to Earth, and The Man Who Stole Himself.

Summary

Blending a richly evocative narrative with rare, unpublished material as well as insights from ornithology, anthropology, and Plsson's own North Atlantic travels, The Last of Its Kind reveals how the saga of the great auk opens a window onto the human causes of mass extinction.

Additional text

"Wonderful."---John Miles, Birdwatching

Product details

• Authors: Gisli Palsson, Gísli Pálsson
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 06.02.2024
• EAN: 9780691230986
• ISBN: 978-0-691-23098-6
• No. of pages: 328
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Zoology / Ornithology, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Ecology, NATURE / Endangered Species, Zoology: birds (ornithology), Birds (ornithology), Endangered species & extinction of species, Conservation of wildlife & habitats, Ecological science, the Biosphere, Conservation of wildlife and habitats, Endangered species and extinction of species