When you're researching a region or country that you visit, do you ever wonder about what it used to be like? What animals used to be there? How many people actually know, for example, that the Steller's Sea Cow was once common in the waters of Alaska?
"Unknown Tourism", created by the marketing team at VerveSearch.com for Expedia UK, honours some of the animals we've lost and are in danger of forgetting, using a set of travel posters that were inspired by those created in the 1930s. ExploreNorth has been invited to share them with you.
Alaska: Go Glacial with the Steller's Sea Cow
Slow, steady, and constantly grazing in the waters off Alaska, the large Steller's Sea Cows (Hydrodamalis gigas) really were the cows of the sea. Growing to a maximum length of 28 feet and weighing 7-8 tons, at the time they were the largest water mammals besides whales. Hunted to extinction by 1768, their demise is proof that tasting good can be hazardous to a species' health. Their much smaller relatives, manatees, however, can still be found in marshy coastal areas of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, the Amazon Basin, and West Africa.
Costa Rica: Discover the Golden Toad - a National Treasure
Despite its name, the Golden Toad (Incilius periglenes) was also observed in orange, white, yellow, red and green colouring, as well as its natural gold. It was distributed across a small range, no more than 8 km (5 mi), high in the mountains in Costa Rica. It died out in 1989 due to increased temperatures and decreased rainfalls causing the pools of water they bred in to dry up.
Jamaica: The Gem of the Tropics, Home of the Giant Galliwasp
The cold-blooded Giant Galliwasp (Celestus occiduus) would sun itself in the tropical heat of Jamaica, becoming one of the most iconic animals on the island due to its large size for a reptile - it grew to over 60 cm (24 inches) in total length. When settlers arrived, bringing dogs, cats and mongooses, they upset the delicate balance of the island's ecosystem, causing the death of the species by 1840.
Mauritius: Meet the Dodo, our Friendliest Resident
A distant cousin of the common pigeon, the Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) evolved on Mauritius with a bountiful supply of food and no natural predators, which led to its friendly disposition and large proportions - it grew to about 1 meter in height (39 inches) and weighed 10.6 - 21.1 kg (23 - 47 lb). Perhaps the most famous of all extinct animals, the Dodo has become an iconic example of how human interaction can cause a species' demise.
New Zealand: Walk with the Moa in the Land of the Giants
New Zealand has always been home to animals that are bigger than average - the island's seclusion from the rest of the world meant that they developed what's called "island gigantism" - and the 9 species of Moa were certainly no exception. The largest, Dinornis robustus and Dinornis novaezelandiae, could grow to a massive 3.7 meters (12 feet) and 230 kg (507 lbs), much larger than its closest living relatives, the ostrich and emu.
Tasmania: Earn your Stripes, see the Thylacine
The Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), more commonly known as the "Tasmanian Tiger", will be well known to fans of "down under", as it has long been the symbol of the island of Tasmania, featured on their coat of arms, licence plate, and as the mascot of the Tasmanian Tigers cricket team. Able to extend their jaw to 80 degrees, the Thylacine was an apex predator of the Australasian continent until it was hunted to extinction in 1936.
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