In memory of Martha, her family, and her species. On this day in 1914, Martha, the last Passenger Pigeon, died in captivity in the Cincinnati Zoo. By November 1907, Martha and her two male companions at the Cincinnati Zoo were the only known surviving Passenger Pigeons after four captive males in Milwaukee died during the winter. One of the Cincinnati males died in April 1909, followed by the remaining male on July 10, 1910. Martha soon became a celebrity due to her status as an endling, and offers of a $1000 reward for finding a mate for Martha brought even more visitors to see her. Several years before her death Martha suffered an apoplectic stroke, leaving her weakened; the zoo built a lower roost for her as she could no longer reach her old one. Martha died at 1 p.m. on September 1, 1914 of old age. Her body was found lifeless on her cages floor. Depending on the source, Martha was either 17, 18, 19, 20, 27, 28, or 29 years old at the time of her death, although 29 is the generally accepted figure. https://youtube/watch?v=2GuI_KpQqWM
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 06:05:27 +0000
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