Question

Passenger pigeons became extinct primarily because of which of the following factors?

A) natural disaster
B) low population size
C) contact with humans
D) lack of variation in their population

Answer 1

Passenger pigeons went extinct due to overhunting and habitat destruction by humans, not from natural disasters, low population size, or lack of genetic variation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Passenger pigeons became extinct primarily due to contact with humans. Overhunting and habitat destruction, both direct consequences of human actions, were the key factors leading to their decline and eventual extinction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Specifically, these birds were hunted in massive numbers for their meat, and the expansion of agriculture led to widespread deforestation, eliminating their natural habitats. Although other factors like natural disasters, low population size, and lack of genetic variation can contribute to a species' extinction, in the case of the passenger pigeon, it was the overwhelming pressure from human activities that caused the species to disappear.