The second half of the 19th century was extremely hard on wildlife and ecosystems in the eastern United States. This era saw quickly growing urban centers following a growing population, expansion of efficient transportation lines, and the general advancement of the industrial revolution. Settlement of new areas was increasing, including the growth of Willimantic which saw the establishment of saw mills, the spool factory, and the Lake House duringt his time. This expansion brought with it afflunce, opportunity, and exploitation.

People of this era saw nature as an unlimited resource and uneffectable by humans in any significant way. Today anthropologists call this the “Myth of Endless Abundance.” Because of this view, with great abandon and efficiency forests were cleared, wildlife, fish, and marine mammals were harvest and sold for meat, oil, fertilizer, and fur. Numerous extinctions and extirpations (local extinctions) occurred and the character of the ecosystems was forever changed. Six animals would never return to Sebec Lake after this period in time. 

Passenger Pigeon 

Perhaps the saddest case of the “plenty syndrome” which lead to total extinction of a species by man. The passenger pigeon was once the most abundant bird in the Eastern United States. It was so plentiful it would darken the sky when flocks passed over and nesting grounds typically supported tens or hundreds of thousands of birds. This animal is went extinct primarily due to extensive unrestricted market hunting in it’s breeding grounds in the east central portion on the country during the 19th century, when it was the primary meat for poor people and slaves. By 1890 this was nearly extinct and in September of 1914 the last known passenger pigeon died at the Cincinnati Zoo. 

Woodland Caribou 

The last Caribou from a native Maine herd was shot  on the Saddle of Mt. Katahdin in 1908.  Woodland Caribou were once abundant in Maine and were even hunted commercially and sold Boston meat markets. Despite late attempts to regulate hunting of Caribou in Maine the animal went extinct due to over hunting. In the 1886 IF&G Commissioner’ report “Of caribou it is difficult to make any estimate of increase or decrease.  The reports to us are of plenty and in all sections.  We have heard of many being killed, but of all our game animals, the caribou is the most capable of taking  care of itself.  But still, in all changes of our laws for venison we wish to have caribou included.” By 1899, caribou had been nearly extirpated from the state and the hunting season was closed. 

Gray Wolf

Wolves were likely extinct in Maine by the 1890’s. Believing them dangerous and damaging to game and livestock populations from 1832-1903 the state of Maine offered a bounty on wolves, this took a drastic toll on the species.  It also suffered from habitat alteration, and over hunting of moose, deer, and caribou, its primary prey species. In the 1990’s two wolves were shot in Maine, but their origin was unclear. Some recent studies indicate that the coyotes currently found in Maine have significant amounts of wolf ancestry and this new comer to Maine certainly seems to have largely taken over the gray wolfs ecological niche.

Eastern Cougar 

In 1938, the last cougar was killed in Maine. The cougar was extirpated from the state due to indiscriminate hunting and trapping of predators, habitat alteration, and over hunting of moose, deer, and caribou. Cougars like most large predators always had a relatively small population in Maine. They need vast areas of unbroken wild habitat to be successful and with the forest clearing and farm land conversion of the 19th century they simply could not compete. Today the landscape of Maine could again support cougar populations and people occasionally claim to see cougars in the state but scientists believe they are likely escaped pets.

Wolverine

Wolverines were likely never very common in Maine, as this would have been the southern extent of the eastern range of Wolverines. It was certainly extirpated from the state by the starter of the 20th century and likely earlier due to indiscriminate hunting and trapping of predators in the in 1800’s, habitat alteration, and over hunting of its prey species. Like the cougar this animal requires large tracts of undeveloped and unbroken forest habitat.

Brook Trout

While not strictly extinct in Sebec Lake, these animals are ecologically extict as a population in the Lake.  Once the dominant shallow water sport fish in the lake. In 1882 the State of Maine began stocking “black bass” (small and Large mouth bass) in lakes in Maine. Bass are a strong competitor and predator of native brook trout. This was fateful blow to the state’s native brook trout fisheries - which made up much of the native shallow water fisheries. Sebec Lake no longer supports significant populations of brook trout.