John Orcutt · @GonzagaMEATLab
221 followers · 47 posts · Server ecoevo.social
#FossilAdventCalendar Day 7
This #bird #skeleton is from #Newfoundland, but it's displayed in #Reykjavik's #Safnahúsið, because it was in #Iceland 🇮🇸 that the great #auk (Pinguinus impennis) last lived. Its black and white #feathers, #flightlessness, and ability to swim make it look like a #penguin, but #auks are really #puffin relatives. Driven to #extinction only in 1844, it's become a cautionary tale in #conservation #biology and an illustration of the impact our species has on #biodiversity.
#fossiladventcalendar #bird #skeleton #newfoundland #reykjavik #safnahusid #iceland #auk #feathers #flightlessness #penguin #auks #puffin #extinction #conservation #biology #biodiversity