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Walter Rothschilds great auk egg
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Walter Rothschilds great auk egg
Walter Rothschilds great auk (Pinguinus impennis) egg held in the Natural History Museum at Tring. The great auk was hunted to extinction in the middle of the 19th Century. 1941.1.1.1 (composite image) Date: 1941
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Media ID 14238888
© Mary Evans / Natural History Museum
Alcidae Black Background Charadriiformes Composite Eggshell Extinct Great Auk Pinguinus Pinguinus Impennis Rothschild Sauropsid Sauropsida Studioshot
EDITORS COMMENTS
This photograph showcases one of the rarest and most historically significant objects in the Natural History Museum at Tring: the great auk egg, belonging to the late 19th-century collector Sir Walter Rothschild (1868-1937). The great auk, scientifically known as Pinguinus impennis, was a large, flightless seabird that once thrived in the North Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, this unique species was hunted to extinction in the mid-19th century due to overexploitation for its oil and feathers. In this studio shot taken in 1941 (1941.1.1.1), the great auk egg is displayed against a black background, allowing its intricate details to stand out. The eggshell, which is speckled with small brown spots and faint bands, is a testament to the remarkable biology of this extinct bird. The egg's size and shape are also noteworthy, as it is significantly larger than that of a modern-day penguin. Sir Walter Rothschild was a renowned British naturalist and philanthropist who amassed an extensive collection of natural history specimens, including the great auk egg. His passion for preserving and documenting the natural world led him to establish the Tring Museum in 1892, which later became part of the Natural History Museum. Today, the great auk egg remains an essential piece of the museum's historical collection, serving as a reminder of the importance of conservation and the consequences of human actions on the natural world.
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