List of extinct animals of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
This list of extinct animals of the Netherlands includes the animal species
and subspecies
once lived in the Netherlands
but have disappeared since human habitation.
This list features the mammals, birds, fish, molluscs, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, pond damselflies, mayflies, grasshoppers and crickets that have disappeared from the Netherlands. There have been no known extinctions of reptiles or amphibians in the Netherlands.
Most animals on this list of extinct animals in the Netherlands survive in other places in the world. However, some of them are now globally extinct, like the Great Auk
(Pinguinus impennis), the European Wild Horse
(Equus ferus) and the Aurochs
(Bos primigenius primigenius). One skeleton of the Great Auk was excavated in a Roman settlement near Velsen
. Bones were also found near Rotterdam
. In the Netherlands there are no bone finds of the aurochs after the Roman period (400 AD). Maculinea alcon arenaria
, an endemic Dutch subspecies of the Alcon Blue
butterfly became extinct at the end of the 1970s.
Fossilized remains of the Gray Whale
(Eschrichtuis robustus), have been found dated to 340 BC, demonstrating that this species once roamed the North Sea
, although it is no longer found there. A lower jaw of a lynx
(Lynx lynx lynx) was found at the remains of a Roman settlement near Valkenburg
in the Netherlands. During excavations of sites dated to the Roman period (around 400AD) on the Rhine delta there were findings of important breeding sites of the Dalmatian Pelican
(Pelecanus crispus). According to the hunting rights of the bishops of Utrecht
we know that brown bears
(Ursus arctos arctos) were still found in the Netherlands as late as the 11th century. According to a hunting licence from Drenthe
, elk
(Alces alces alces) were also known to be in this country until 1025. The North Atlantic Right Whale
(Eubalaena glacialis), which once appeared from the Bay of Biscay
to Norway
, have disappeared from the waters around the Netherlands. It is suspected that the last whales were caught at the end of the Middle Ages
.
The last known European Beaver in the Netherlands was killed in 1826. In 1988 European Beavers were reintroduced in the Biesbosch
, and in 1994 beavers were released in the Gelderse Poort (a wilderness area between Arnhem
and Nijmegen). The new beavers are doing very well; their numbers are increasing and they are spreading to other parts of the Netherlands.
Once these birds were very common in the Netherlands, but their number decreased fast in the 20th century. 1891 was the first year that no White Stork bred in the Netherlands. A conservation and reintroduction program that started in 1967 resulted in 396 pairs in 2000.
In 1956 this damselfly was thought to be extinct in the Netherlands, but was rediscovered in the National Park De Weerribben on May 9th, 1999.
Under orders from the Dutch Government, in 1999 the Das&Boom foundation caught all the remaining European Hamsters in the Netherlands. These animals were placed in a breeding programme in Diergaarde Blijdorp
(Rotterdam Zoo). They were extinct in the wild, but offspring from the breeding programme have been reintroduced in a hamster reserve in Sibbe
in the southern province of Limburg
. In 2003 more hamsters were released in a second hamster reserve in Amby
, near Maastricht
. These reintroductions were followed by four more reintroductions in Heer
, Sittard
, Puth and Koningsbosch. The wild hamster population has now grown to ca. 600 burrows (12/2006).
This bird became extinct in the Netherlands in the 19th century, due to overhunting because of their feathers which were used in the hat industry. In 1979 this bird first bred again in the Oostvaardersplassen
nature reserve. The second time this bird bred again in the Netherlands was in 1994. After that year it bred yearly in the Netherlands. Their numbers are still increasing.
The wild cat probably became extinct in the Netherlands in Roman times. The first confirmed specimen in the Netherlands since that time was a dead cat found near Groenlanden in Gelderland
, while another dead animal was found in 2002 near Vaals
in South Limburg
. The first living cat was caught near Heeze
, North Brabant
in 2004 http://www.vzz.nl/lutra/48-2/Lutra48_2_67-90Kanters-etal.pdf. In 2006 a wild cat was caught on camera near Vaals http://www.mulder-natuurlijk.nl/Wilde%20katten.htm. These few sightings are not yet positive proof of the wildcat settling in the Netherlands, but the known range of the wildcat has been approaching the Dutch borders since the 1990s.
In 2001, one Common Crane pair bred successfully after 250 years in the Fochteloërveen, a nature reserve on the border of the provinces of Friesland
and Drente.
The last lonely otter in the Netherlands was killed by a car on September 17th, 1988 in the neighbourhood of Joure
(Province of Friesland
). The first otters were reintroduced in National Park De Weerribben (Province of Overijssel) on July 8th, 2002. Today they have been released in other parts of the Netherlands as well.
The 20th century saw the taming of the Zuiderzee
as a large enclosure dam (the Afsluitdijk
) was constructed. Completed in 1932, the Zuiderzee became the IJsselmeer
and large areas of water could be reclaimed for farming and housing. After this the Harbour Porpoise, together with the Bottlenose Dolphin
, disappeared from the waters around the Netherlands. They came back in the 1980s.
This bird was considered extinct in the Netherlands after it was last sighted breeding in 1972. In early 2005 five territoria and two breeding pairs were located again in the province of Utrecht
.
The Atlantic Salmon was very common in the Netherlands in the 17th century, but disappeared when the rivers were tamed and closed by the Dutch to protect their land. The salmon could not reach their breeding ground in the rivers Rhine and Meuse
. A reintroduction program resulted in salmon in the IJsselmeer and the river Rhine.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
once lived in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
but have disappeared since human habitation.
This list features the mammals, birds, fish, molluscs, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, pond damselflies, mayflies, grasshoppers and crickets that have disappeared from the Netherlands. There have been no known extinctions of reptiles or amphibians in the Netherlands.
Most animals on this list of extinct animals in the Netherlands survive in other places in the world. However, some of them are now globally extinct, like the Great Auk
Great Auk
The Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis, formerly of the genus Alca, was a large, flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus, a group of birds that formerly included one other species of flightless giant auk from the Atlantic Ocean...
(Pinguinus impennis), the European Wild Horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
(Equus ferus) and the Aurochs
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
(Bos primigenius primigenius). One skeleton of the Great Auk was excavated in a Roman settlement near Velsen
Velsen
Velsen is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.On the north side of the North Sea Canal, in IJmuiden, there is a major steel plant, Corus Strip Products IJmuiden, formerly known as Koninklijke Hoogovens...
. Bones were also found near Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. In the Netherlands there are no bone finds of the aurochs after the Roman period (400 AD). Maculinea alcon arenaria
Maculinea alcon arenaria
The Dutch Alcon Blue was a subspecies of the Alcon Blue butterfly Phengaris alcon. There is not much known about this subspecies, but it has always been very rare. It was endemic to the Netherlands, where two populations were known. One in Meijendel , and in the Meije...
, an endemic Dutch subspecies of the Alcon Blue
Maculinea alcon
Phengaris alcon, more commonly known as Alcon Blue or Alcon Large Blue, is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family and is found in Europe and Northern Asia.It can be seen flying in mid to late summer...
butterfly became extinct at the end of the 1970s.
Fossilized remains of the Gray Whale
Gray Whale
The gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. It reaches a length of about , a weight of , and lives 50–70 years. The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were...
(Eschrichtuis robustus), have been found dated to 340 BC, demonstrating that this species once roamed the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, although it is no longer found there. A lower jaw of a lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
(Lynx lynx lynx) was found at the remains of a Roman settlement near Valkenburg
Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
in the Netherlands. During excavations of sites dated to the Roman period (around 400AD) on the Rhine delta there were findings of important breeding sites of the Dalmatian Pelican
Dalmatian Pelican
The Dalmatian Pelican is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe to India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. The nest is a crude heap of vegetation....
(Pelecanus crispus). According to the hunting rights of the bishops of Utrecht
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht
The Archdiocese of Utrecht is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands. The archdiocese is the metropolitan for 6 suffragans, the dioceses of Breda, Groningen-Leeuwarden, Haarlem-Amsterdam, Roermond, Rotterdam, and 's-Hertogenbosch....
we know that brown bears
Brown Bears
The Brown Bears is a name shared by all sports teams at Brown University, a university located in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States. The Bears are part of the Ivy League conference. Brown's mascot is Bruno. Both the men's and women's teams share the name, competing in 37 National...
(Ursus arctos arctos) were still found in the Netherlands as late as the 11th century. According to a hunting licence from Drenthe
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
, elk
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
(Alces alces alces) were also known to be in this country until 1025. The North Atlantic Right Whale
North Atlantic Right Whale
The North Atlantic right whale which means "good, or true, whale of the ice") is a baleen whale, one of three right whale species belonging to the genus Eubalaena, formerly classified as a single species. With only 400 in existence, North Atlantic right whales are among the most endangered whales...
(Eubalaena glacialis), which once appeared from the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, have disappeared from the waters around the Netherlands. It is suspected that the last whales were caught at the end of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
Mammals
- Alces alces alces - European Elk (1025)
- Barbastellus barbastellus - Barbastelle Bat
- Bos primigenius primigenius - AurochsAurochsThe aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
(400 AD) - Canis lupus lupus - Gray WolfGray WolfThe gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
(1897) - Equus ferus - TarpanTarpanTarpan is an extinct subspecies of wild horse. The last individual of this subspecies died in captivity in Russia in 1909....
- Eschrichtuis robustus - Gray WhaleGray WhaleThe gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. It reaches a length of about , a weight of , and lives 50–70 years. The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were...
(340 BC) - Eubalaena glacialis - North Atlantic Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right WhaleThe North Atlantic right whale which means "good, or true, whale of the ice") is a baleen whale, one of three right whale species belonging to the genus Eubalaena, formerly classified as a single species. With only 400 in existence, North Atlantic right whales are among the most endangered whales...
(end Middle Ages) - Lynx lynx lynx - Eurasian lynxEurasian LynxThe Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
(Roman period) - Mustela lutreola - European MinkEuropean minkThe European mink , also known as the Russian mink, is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to Europe. It is listed by the IUCN as Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as being more than 50% over the past three generations...
(1887) - Rhinolophus ferrumequinum - Greater horseshoe batGreater Horseshoe BatThe Greater Horseshoe Bat is a European bat of the Rhinolophus genus. Its distribution covers Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia. It is the largest of the European Horseshoe Bats and is thus easily distinguished from other species...
(1974) - Rhinolophus hipposideros - Lesser Horseshoe BatLesser horseshoe batThe Lesser Horseshoe Bat , is a type of European bat related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat...
(1983) - Tursiops truncatus - Bottlenose DolphinBottlenose DolphinBottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
(1932) - Ursus arctos arctos - Brown BearBrown BearThe brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
(11th century)
Birds
- Griel - Stone CurlewStone CurlewThe Stone Curlew, Eurasian Thick-knee, or Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus is a northern species of the Burhinidae bird family....
(1957) - Zwarte kwak - Black-crowned Night-heron
- Meeuw Gefactureerd Tern - Gull-billed TernGull-billed TernThe Gull-billed Tern formerly Sterna nilotica , is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae...
(1958) - Reuzenalk - Great AukGreat AukThe Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis, formerly of the genus Alca, was a large, flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus, a group of birds that formerly included one other species of flightless giant auk from the Atlantic Ocean...
- Bosruiter - Wood SandpiperWood SandpiperThe Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola, is a small wader. This Eurasian species is the smallest of the shanks, which are mid-sized long-legged waders of the family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :...
(1939)
Fish
- Acipenser sturio - European sea sturgeonEuropean sea sturgeonThe Atlantic or the European Sturgeon , also known as the baltic sturgeon or common sturgeon, is a species of sturgeon found on most coasts of Europe. It is currently a critically endangered species....
- Alosa alosa - Allis shadShadThe shads or river herrings comprise the genus Alosa, fish related to herring in the family Clupeidae. They are distinct from others in that family by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. The several species frequent different areas on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea....
(1993) - Alosa fallax - Twaite shadShadThe shads or river herrings comprise the genus Alosa, fish related to herring in the family Clupeidae. They are distinct from others in that family by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. The several species frequent different areas on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea....
(1970) - Coregonus oxyrinchus - HoutingHoutingThe houting is an extinct species of fish in the Salmonidae family. This species is distinguishable by having a long, pointed snout, an inferior mouth and 38—46 gill rakers. The houting once occurred in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and England.'Houtings' were said to be surviving in...
(1940) - Hippocampus ramulosus - Common seahorseSeahorseSeahorses compose the fish genus Hippocampus within the family Syngnathidae, in order Syngnathiformes. Syngnathidae also includes the pipefishes. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippos meaning "horse" and kampos meaning “sea monster”.There are nearly 50 species of seahorse...
- Thymallus thymallus - GraylingGrayling (species)The grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is the type species of its genus. Native to the Palearctic ecozone, the grayling is widespread throughout northern Europe, from the United Kingdom and France to the Ural Mountains in Russia...
- Salmo trutta fario - Brown troutBrown troutThe brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
- Syngnathus typhle - Deepnosed pipefishPipefishPipefishes or pipe-fishes are a subfamily of small fishes, which, together with the seahorses, form the family Syngnathidae.-Anatomy:...
Molluscs
- Pisidium tenuilineatumPisidium tenuilineatumPisidium tenuilineatum, the fine-lined pea mussel, is a species of very small freshwater bivalve in the family Sphaeriidae.-Distribution:The species is native to Europe.* British Isles - listed in List of endangered species in the British Isles...
- Rissoa membranacea
- Spermodea lamellataSpermodea lamellataSpermodea lamellata is a species of minute European land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusc, or micromollusc, in the family Valloniidae.-Distribution:This species occurs in areas which include:* Denmark* Great Britain* Ireland* Czech Republic...
- Unio crassus - Thick shelled river musselThick shelled river musselThe thick shelled river mussel, scientific name Unio crassus, is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels.-Ecology:...
(1968)
Butterflies
- Aporia crataegi
- Argynnis paphiaSilver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia is a common and variable butterfly found over much of the Palaearctic ecozone – Algeria, Europe, temperate Asia and Japan.-Subspecies:*A. p. butleri Krulikovsky, 1909 Northern Europe, Central Europe...
- Boloria euphrosynePearl-bordered FritillaryThe Pearl-bordered Fritillary is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.It is orange with black spots on the upperside of its wing and has a wingspan of 38–46 mm. On the underside of the wings there is a row of silver pearly markings along the edge, which give the species its name...
- Brenthis ino
- Coenonympha hero
- Cupido minimus minimusSmall BlueThe Small Blue is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.It is found in Europe, Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, Tian-Shan, West Siberia, Central Siberia, South Siberia, Russian Far East, Amur, Mongolia, Magadan and Kamchatka....
- Euphydryas aurinia auriniaMarsh FritillaryThe Marsh Fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia, is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.It is widespread in the Palaearctic region from Ireland in the West to Yakutia in the East, and to North-west China and Mongolia in the South.E. aurinia is represented by many subspecies.The most widely accepted...
- Lycaena hippothoe hippothoePurple-edged CopperThe Purple-edged Copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.* Length of male: 16–17 mm.* Period of flight: June–July, one generation, range around 1500 m.* Plants favoured: Rumex spp...
- Maculinea alcon arenariaMaculinea alcon arenariaThe Dutch Alcon Blue was a subspecies of the Alcon Blue butterfly Phengaris alcon. There is not much known about this subspecies, but it has always been very rare. It was endemic to the Netherlands, where two populations were known. One in Meijendel , and in the Meije...
(1979) - Maculinea arion
- Maculinea nausithousDusky Large BlueThe Dusky Large Blue is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.Life cycle...
- Maculinea teleiusScarce Large BlueThe Scarce Large Blue is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.The larva of this...
- Melitaea diamina
- Nymphalis antiopa
- Plebeius idas idas
- Polyommatus semiargus semiargus
- Thymelicus acteon acteonLulworth SkipperThe Lulworth Skipper is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. Its name is derived from Lulworth Cove in the county of Dorset, England, where the first specimens in Great Britain were collected in 1832 by English naturalist James Charles Dale.The species occurs locally across Central Europe, Asia...
- Spialia sertorius sertorius
Bees
- Ammobates punctatus
- Andrena curvungula
- Andrena marginata
- Andrena nitidiuscula
- Andrena pandellei
- Andrena schencki
- Andrena thoracica
- Anthidium byssinum
- Anthophora aestivalis
- Anthophora bimaculata
- Anthophora borealis
- Anthophora plagiata
- Biastes truncatus
- Bombus confusus
- Bombus cullumanus
- Bombus pomorum
- Bombus subterraneus
- Coelioxys alata
- Dufourea minuta
- Halictus eurygnathus
- Halictus quadricinctus
- Lasioglossum laeve
- Lasioglossum laevigatum
- Nomada argentata
- Nomada furva
- Nomada mutabilis
- Nomada obtusifrons
- Nomada piccioliana
- Nomada rhenana
- Nomada roberjeotiana
- Osmia anthocopoides
- Osmia papaveris
- Osmia xanthomela
- Rophites quinquespinosus
- Thyreus orbatus
Pond Damselflies
- Holocentropus insignis
- Hydroptila cornuta
- Hydroptila dampfi
- Ithytrichia lamellaris
- Micrasemodes minimus
- Oligoplectrum maculatum
- Sericostoma flavicorne
- Setodes viridis
- Silo piceus
Grasshoppers & Crickets
- Locusta migratoria
- Psophus stridulus
- Tetrix bipunctata
Stoneflies
- Euleuctra geniculata
- Isogenus nubecula
- Isoperla grammatica
- Isoptena serricornis
- Leuctra fusca
- Marthamea selysii
- Protonemura nitida
- Taeniopteryx nebulosa
- Xanthoperla apicalis
Mayflies
- Ametropus fragilis
- Choroterpes picteti
- Ecdyonurus affinis
- Ecdyonurus dispar
- Habroleptoides modesta
- Habrophlebia lauta
- Heptagenia coerulans
- Isonychia ignota
- Oligoneuriella rhenana
- Palingenia longicauda
- Potamanthus luteus
- Siphlonurus aestivalis
- Siphlonurus alternatus
- Siphlonurus lacustris
Reintroductions and rediscoveries
- Castor fiber albicus - European BeaverEuropean BeaverThe Eurasian beaver or European beaver is a species of beaver, which was once widespread in Eurasia, where it was hunted to near extinction both for fur and for castoreum, a secretion of its scent gland believed to have medicinal properties...
The last known European Beaver in the Netherlands was killed in 1826. In 1988 European Beavers were reintroduced in the Biesbosch
Biesbosch
De Biesbosch , is one of the largest national parks of the Netherlands and one of the last freshwater tide areas in Europe. The Biesbosch consists of a rather large network of rivers and smaller and larger creeks with islands. The vegetation is mostly willow forests, although wet grasslands and...
, and in 1994 beavers were released in the Gelderse Poort (a wilderness area between Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
and Nijmegen). The new beavers are doing very well; their numbers are increasing and they are spreading to other parts of the Netherlands.
- Ciconia ciconia - White StorkWhite StorkThe White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
Once these birds were very common in the Netherlands, but their number decreased fast in the 20th century. 1891 was the first year that no White Stork bred in the Netherlands. A conservation and reintroduction program that started in 1967 resulted in 396 pairs in 2000.
- Coenagrion armatum - Norfolk DamselflyNorfolk DamselflyNorfolk Damselfly or Dark Bluet is a species of blue damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae. This species acquired its common name from its discovery in 1903 and presence in a very restricted area of the Norfolk Broads...
In 1956 this damselfly was thought to be extinct in the Netherlands, but was rediscovered in the National Park De Weerribben on May 9th, 1999.
- Cricetus cricetus canescens - European HamsterEuropean HamsterThe European hamster, , also known as the black-bellied hamster or common hamster, is a hamster which is the only species of the genus Cricetus. It is native to a large global range, extending from western Europe, through central and eastern Europe, Russia, and Kazakhstan, reaching as far east as...
Under orders from the Dutch Government, in 1999 the Das&Boom foundation caught all the remaining European Hamsters in the Netherlands. These animals were placed in a breeding programme in Diergaarde Blijdorp
Diergaarde Blijdorp
Diergaarde Blijdorp is a zoo in the northwestern part of Rotterdam, one of the oldest zoos in the Netherlands...
(Rotterdam Zoo). They were extinct in the wild, but offspring from the breeding programme have been reintroduced in a hamster reserve in Sibbe
Sibbe
Sibbe is the official Dutch name of a village in the municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul in the province of Limburg in the Southern part of the Netherlands.-History:...
in the southern province of Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
. In 2003 more hamsters were released in a second hamster reserve in Amby
Amby
A former village, Amby is now a neighborhood of Maastricht, in the Netherlands, located about 4 km northeast of the center of the city.From January 2, 1839 to July 1, 1970, Amby existed as a separate municipality....
, near Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
. These reintroductions were followed by four more reintroductions in Heer
Heer
Heer is German for "army". Generally, its use as "army" is not restricted to any particular country, so "das britische Heer" would mean "the British army".However, more specifically it can refer to:*An army of Germany:...
, Sittard
Sittard
Sittard is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg, which is the southernmost province of the Netherlands.On the east Sittard borders on Germany . It has some 48,400 inhabitants . Sittard is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen...
, Puth and Koningsbosch. The wild hamster population has now grown to ca. 600 burrows (12/2006).
- Egretta garzetta garzetta - Little EgretLittle EgretThe Little Egret is a small white heron. It is the Old World counterpart to the very similar New World Snowy Egret.-Subspecies:Depending on authority, two or three subspecies of Little Egret are currently accepted....
This bird became extinct in the Netherlands in the 19th century, due to overhunting because of their feathers which were used in the hat industry. In 1979 this bird first bred again in the Oostvaardersplassen
Oostvaardersplassen
The Oostvaardersplassen is a nature reserve in the Netherlands, covering about . Despite having developed recently it already has international importance as a European wetland....
nature reserve. The second time this bird bred again in the Netherlands was in 1994. After that year it bred yearly in the Netherlands. Their numbers are still increasing.
- Felis silvestris silvestris" - European wild cat
The wild cat probably became extinct in the Netherlands in Roman times. The first confirmed specimen in the Netherlands since that time was a dead cat found near Groenlanden in Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
, while another dead animal was found in 2002 near Vaals
Vaals
Vaals is a town in the extreme southeastern part of the Dutch province of Limburg, which in its turn finds itself in the southeastern part of the Netherlands....
in South Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
. The first living cat was caught near Heeze
Heeze
Heeze is a town in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Heeze-Leende, about 9 km southeast of Eindhoven.Heeze was a separate municipality until 1997, when it merged with Leende....
, North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
in 2004 http://www.vzz.nl/lutra/48-2/Lutra48_2_67-90Kanters-etal.pdf. In 2006 a wild cat was caught on camera near Vaals http://www.mulder-natuurlijk.nl/Wilde%20katten.htm. These few sightings are not yet positive proof of the wildcat settling in the Netherlands, but the known range of the wildcat has been approaching the Dutch borders since the 1990s.
- Grus grus - Common CraneCommon CraneThe Common Crane , also known as the Eurasian Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes.It is a large, stately bird and a medium-sized crane at 100–130 cm long, with a 180–240 cm wingspan and a weight of 4.5–6 kg...
In 2001, one Common Crane pair bred successfully after 250 years in the Fochteloërveen, a nature reserve on the border of the provinces of Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
and Drente.
- Lutra lutra - European OtterEuropean OtterThe European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
The last lonely otter in the Netherlands was killed by a car on September 17th, 1988 in the neighbourhood of Joure
Joure
Joure is a town in the Dutch province of Friesland. With 13,000 inhabitants, it is the largest town in the municipality of Skarsterlân.-History:...
(Province of Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
). The first otters were reintroduced in National Park De Weerribben (Province of Overijssel) on July 8th, 2002. Today they have been released in other parts of the Netherlands as well.
- Phocoena phocoena - Harbour PorpoiseHarbour PorpoiseThe harbour porpoise is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen...
The 20th century saw the taming of the Zuiderzee
Zuider Zee
The Zuiderzee was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km inland and at most 50 km wide, with an overall depth of about 4 to 5 metres and a coastline of about 300 km . It covered...
as a large enclosure dam (the Afsluitdijk
Afsluitdijk
The Afsluitdijk is a major causeway in the Netherlands, constructed between 1927 and 1933 and running from Den Oever on Wieringen in North Holland province, to the village of Zurich in Friesland province, over a length of and a width of 90 m, at an initial height of 7.25 m above sea-level.It is...
) was constructed. Completed in 1932, the Zuiderzee became the IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer is a shallow artificial lake of 1100 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. The IJsselmeer is the largest lake in Western Europe....
and large areas of water could be reclaimed for farming and housing. After this the Harbour Porpoise, together with the Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
, disappeared from the waters around the Netherlands. They came back in the 1980s.
- Porzana pusilla intermedia - Baillon's CrakeBaillon's CrakeThe Baillon's Crake is a very small waterbird of the family Rallidae.-Distribution:Their breeding habitat is sedge beds in Europe, mainly in the east, and across Asia. They used to breed in Great Britain up to the mid-19th century, but the western European population declined through drainage....
This bird was considered extinct in the Netherlands after it was last sighted breeding in 1972. In early 2005 five territoria and two breeding pairs were located again in the province of Utrecht
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
.
- Salmo salar - Atlantic SalmonAtlantic salmonThe Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
The Atlantic Salmon was very common in the Netherlands in the 17th century, but disappeared when the rivers were tamed and closed by the Dutch to protect their land. The salmon could not reach their breeding ground in the rivers Rhine and Meuse
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
. A reintroduction program resulted in salmon in the IJsselmeer and the river Rhine.