11. Caribbean Monk Seal (Neomonachus tropicalis)
The Caribbean monk seal was once a common sight along the warm shores of the Caribbean Sea. Sadly, overhunting for oil and loss of coastal habitat drove this unique seal to extinction, with the last confirmed sighting in the 1950s. Its disappearance marked the loss of the only native seal species in the region and underscores the urgent need for marine conservation.
