>

I thought the last Great Auk was killed because people thought it was a witch.
"a cutting tool was used to intentionally make an opening in the fence of the small cat’s habitat, and a similar cut was found at a habitat for small monkeys" >

Definitely some crazy PETA people >

Or people looking to grab them to sell illicitly as pets.  There is a pretty active black market for exotic animals.
PETA would have gone after something bigger to make a big show of it. >

Years ago the local zoo lost a pigmy falcon that was due to lay eggs at any time. Someone just cut their way into the enclosure and made off with it and it was never recovered. >

That's extra heartbreaking given how many people out there aren't just hoarding exotic animals, but collecting eggs and other specimens that do not involve keeping the animals alive. >

Can’t recall if it was the Dodo or the Great Auk, but a wealthy person realized that a formerly-common bird was becoming rare, and he didn’t have an egg in his collection. He hired a ship that was going near their habitat anyway to bring him an egg. Sailors found a pair, killed them, and collected the egg for their sponsor. That was the last reported sighting of the species.