Martha, Gone But Not Forgotten
01 09 14 - 11:43
Species: Ectopistes migratorius
100 years ago today, Martha, the last US passenger pigeon died in the Cincinnati Zoo at approx 29 years old. She was affectionately named after First Lady Martha Washington.
Despite repeated warnings from conservationists, the birds were hunted relentlessly by the tens of millions annually. Hunters of the day killed them mostly for sport with some percentage going to market. The population went from billions to millions, then to zero in just a handful of decades. Martha's death marked the 1st time the general public was made aware of a specie's extinction at the hands of mankind.
Martha now resides in a little metal cabinet in the Smithsonian.
This is why we support the activities of our local & national sportsman clubs, like Ducks Unlimited. Their annual conservation of wetlands accrues thousands of acres each year to retain habitat for ducks & other migratory species.
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