Sadly, many trees that once thrived on Earth are no longer existing. Some were lost because of natural disasters, others due to human activity, like deforestation and climate change.
These trees, which stood tall and strong for centuries, are now only memories preserved in stories, records, and scientific research.
Here’s a look at some of them:
1. The Saint Helena Olive tree
This tree was native to Saint Helena, a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean. The Saint Helena Olive tree was once abundant, but human settlement on the island led to its habitat being destroyed. By the 19th century, the tree was already rare, and the last known wild olive tree died in 1994. Scientists tried to save it using cuttings, but those efforts failed. Today, Saint Helena still struggles with the loss of its native plants.
2. The Wood’s Cycad
Though it looked like a palm tree, Wood’s Cycad was actually part of an ancient group of plants. Found in South Africa, it was discovered in the late 1800s and admired for its unusual appearance. Sadly, by the early 20th century, it had disappeared from the wild, and the reasons for its extinction remain unclear.
While some specimens still exist in botanical gardens, they cannot reproduce naturally. This means that even though we can see the tree, it is functionally extinct.
3. The Siau Island Tarsius Tree
This tree was native to Indonesia’s Siau Island and provided food and shelter to many local species, including the Siau Island tarsier, a small primate. Unfortunately, logging and land clearing for agriculture destroyed its habitat.
The loss of this tree shows how the extinction of one species can affect an entire ecosystem. Without this tree, some animals like the tarsier also face the risk of disappearing.
4. The Franklin Tree
The Franklin tree, native to Georgia in the United States, was discovered in the late 1700s. It was known for its beautiful white flowers. However, by the early 1800s, it was gone from the wild. The exact reason for its extinction remains unknown, though habitat loss and disease likely played a role.
Today, all Franklin trees come from seeds collected in the 18th century. They are grown in gardens, keeping the memory of this tree alive.
5. The Mt. Kaala Cyanea
This Hawaiian tree was unique to the island of Oahu and was last seen in the wild in the 1970s. Its decline was caused by habitat destruction and invasive species brought to the island by humans. Efforts to conserve it came too late, and the tree is now extinct.
Hawaii’s lost trees highlight the fragility of island ecosystems and the urgent need for conservation.
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