Passenger Pigeon:Extinct in 1914 
Burj Khalifa:828m, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 

The passenger pigeon used to migrate between North America and Europe. Its name means “passing by”, and it was given such name due to its migratory nature.  An extinct species of pigeon, the passenger pigeon was once the most numerous bird on earth. According to one record, the sky would darken for three days whenever the pigeon migrated in enormous flocks. Alas, the passenger pigeon’s meat was delicious and its feathers were used for many purposes, so it was hunted on a massive scale for food and commercial purposes. Back then, passenger pigeon hunting was a popular sport. One hunter was reported to have shot as many as 30,000 pigeons. The Pigeon Protection Law was enacted in the mid-1890s, when the species was already nearly extinct. The last passenger pigeon discovered in the wild was shot on March 24, 1900 in Ohio. This species finally disappeared completely when the last passenger pigeon, a female, died on September 1,1914 at the Cincinnati Zoo.

1914년, 세상에서 가장 많은 새였던 여행비둘기가 무자비한 남획 탓에 멸종했다. 마지막 여행비둘기 마사가 죽은 지 110주년이 되는 올해 2024년. 마사의 슬픈 사연은 인간에 의해 사라진 멸종동물을 애도하는 작업을 하게 된 계기가 되었다. 동물원 새장 안에서 외로이 죽어간 마사가 내 그림에서는 자유롭게 하늘을 날고 있다.

마지막 여행비둘기 마사 이야기
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