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In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

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Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#11

Post by JKCalhoun »

swagmoose wrote: post #10
analog31 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a scientist, and I work in a setting where there are a lot of non-scientists including engineers, managers, etc. A word like "extinct" sounds like an absolute, and a rigorous statement would include a detailed disclaimer about the limitations of talking in absolute terms, such as "within the limits of our knowledge, and we could be wrong, yadda yadda." When talking amongst scientists, those disclaimers are unnece…

I think I knew this deep down, but I am curious if there's "extinct (with the usual disclaimers)" and "extinct (it ain't comin back)". i.e. the Christmas Island Shrew vs. the Dodo

Maybe the difference between the Dodo and the Christmas Island Shrew is 350 years.

Which is to say, the certainty of the Dodo's extinction is related to how long we've not seen one.

Every year that passes then without the shrew will be to underscore its extinction, I suppose. Sad.

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#12

Post by pregseahorses »

WastedCucumber wrote: post #8
cactusplant7374 wrote: post #4

It's hard to imagine an animal like a shrew weighs only 6 grams.

Try the etruscan shrew, they weigh about two grams.

Yes, abundant on Socotra island. I recently explored Socotra on Google Earth and and was surprised I had never heared about this isolated, prestine Island. One of its caves is a treasure trove of writings/drawings by travellers from various parts of the world over the centuries.

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#14

Post by duskwuff »

deadbabe wrote: post #5

how could they say with any certainty it is extinct? It is tiny.

At 52 square miles, Christmas Island isn't terribly large either. And, given that shrews have a lifetime of perhaps a year or two and there's been no sightings in 40+ years, it seems unlikely that a stable breeding population has survived unnoticed.

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#15

Post by analog31 »

swagmoose wrote: post #10
analog31 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a scientist, and I work in a setting where there are a lot of non-scientists including engineers, managers, etc. A word like "extinct" sounds like an absolute, and a rigorous statement would include a detailed disclaimer about the limitations of talking in absolute terms, such as "within the limits of our knowledge, and we could be wrong, yadda yadda." When talking amongst scientists, those disclaimers are unnece…

I think I knew this deep down, but I am curious if there's "extinct (with the usual disclaimers)" and "extinct (it ain't comin back)". i.e. the Christmas Island Shrew vs. the Dodo

I have a feeling that it depends to some extent on the organism. It would be hard for a breeding pair of Dodo's to hide for very long, whereas a colony of little shrews could creep around in the bushes without notice. "Last seen on X date" would cover both cases.

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#16

Post by yareally »

cactusplant7374 wrote: post #4

It's hard to imagine an animal like a shrew weighs only 6 grams.

The bee hummingbird weights 2 grams and it's 6cm long (about 2 inches) including the tail.

I always thought my budgerigar weighed nothing at 30grams (about an ounce), but he's not even close.

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#17

Post by culi »

> Yet it was not quite gone. Half a century later, in 1958, two shrews appeared as bulldozers tore into the forest for phosphate mining. They were seen, released, and forgotten.

I wonder how many thought-to-be-extinct species were not seen before it was too late. It's also wild that they were simply released instead of being moved to captivity to try to breed

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#18

Post by culi »

deadbabe wrote: post #5

how could they say with any certainty it is extinct? It is tiny.

Well it sounds like they replaced their native habitat with a phosphate mine. Seems like a wholesale displacement. Hard to imagine surviving not just your population hit but your entire ecosystem

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#19

Post by teddyh »

analog31 wrote: post #15
swagmoose wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think I knew this deep down, but I am curious if there's "extinct (with the usual disclaimers)" and "extinct (it ain't comin back)". i.e. the Christmas Island Shrew vs. the Dodo

I have a feeling that it depends to some extent on the organism. It would be hard for a breeding pair of Dodo's to hide for very long, whereas a colony of little shrews could creep around in the bushes without notice. "Last seen on X date" would cover both cases.

This comes to mind: https://x.com/MNateShyamalan/status/1951252793827729739>

Re: In memory of the Christmas Island shrew

#20

Post by analog31 »

teddyh wrote: post #19
analog31 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a feeling that it depends to some extent on the organism. It would be hard for a breeding pair of Dodo's to hide for very long, whereas a colony of little shrews could creep around in the bushes without notice. "Last seen on X date" would cover both cases.

This comes to mind: https://x.com/MNateShyamalan/status/1951252793827729739 >

Indeed, I continue to feel humbled by the vastness of the natural world.
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