9. The Elephant Bird

[maxbutton id=”2″ url=”https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page” ]

Just as their name suggests, these were no ordinary birds. There were seven species of this majestic bird and they were found on the island of Madagascar. They would grow to 10 feet (3m) in height and would weigh up to 1000 lbs (450 Kg). The volume of an elephant bird’s egg was 120 times that of a chicken egg.

It might be hard to imagine this majestic bird coexisting with humans, but historical evidences show that the species was actually around in the 17th century. Extinction was caused by human involvement (reduction of habitat area, stealing their egs for food etc.)

 

10. Haast’s Eagle

[maxbutton id=”2″ url=”https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page” ]

Picture an island with no mammal life on it. Instead, imagine a population made out entirely of birds. Giant ones that roamed the land. It might sound scary, but that is the reality of the landscape of New Zeeland until the Maori arrived and settled the shores in the late 1200s.  And that is precisely the environment where this 500 pound (226 kg) Haast Eagle evolved.

[maxbutton id=”2″ url=”https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page” ]

They resembled present day eagles only they were enormous. They hunted other giant birds that lived on the island and their size was a necessity to be able to prey on such large game. However, human presence on the island disturbed the local fauna and eventually led to the extinction of the species.

As an interesting fact it is known that these giant eagles would also attack humans, their giant size and strength making it easy for them to hunt the much lighter prey that humans were.

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”http://sharetroopers.com/wont-believe-weird-animals-actually-existed/6/” ]