In the 19th and 20th centuries it was common to kill the last of a species,just to say you had the last of the line
Cheers
Only if it's the last of its species which isn't mentioned in the article. It could be a teenager for all we know and they could live for 1000 years...but we'd need to dredge more specimens to find out
The article is also hopelessly inaccurate. There are trees all over the place much older than 500 years and Tassie has a Huon Pine 10,000 years old; I believe the oldest living organism on the planet, though I am happy to stand corrected. Pity to lose a 500 year old clam but I reckon there are more out there.
which isn't mentioned in the article. It could be a teenager for all we know and they could live for 1000 years...but we'd need to dredge more specimens to find out 
