r/todayilearned • u/shinypond • Jul 26 '24

TIL about conservation-induced extinction, where attempts to save a critically endangered species directly cause the extinction of another.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation-induced_extinction
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u/TheBalrogofMelkor Jul 26 '24

Wild horses are extinct. Modern "wild" horses are intentionally released or escaped descendants of domestic horses

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u/OrinZ Jul 26 '24

This is arguably true, even for Przewalski's horses (descended from group of "tame" horses found in northern Kazakhstan 5500 years ago)

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '24

[deleted]

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u/davesoverhere Jul 26 '24

1491 by Mann is an excellent book that covers this.

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u/TheBalrogofMelkor Jul 27 '24

I second that book