Red Rail (Aphanapteryx bonasia)
Posted on 31 December, 1700 in Extinct
Year Last Seen:
1700
Comments:
This species was known from Mauritius, but went Extinct around 1693 due to cat predation and hunting.
Habitat:
It may have inhabited the islands' forests.
Causes:
It was flightless and palatable and therefore was presumably hunted to extinction (Cheke 1987), although introduced cats are also likely to have taken some birds.
Distribution:
Aphanapteryx bonasia was endemic to Mauritius from where it is known from a number of travellers' accounts and illustrations (Cheke 1987), and from numerous bones (Cowles 1987). It was mentioned to have become rare by Leguat in 1693, and probably went extinct around this time (Cheke 2006).