In 1755, seventy years post the extinction of the dodo, the Ashmolean Museum's director deemed its only preserved specimen too musty and ordered it to be burned. This shocking decision was particularly striking since the dodo was the last of its kind, making its preservation critical.
Fortunately, a passing employee intervened at the last moment in a desperate attempt to save what he could, managing to rescue only the bird's head and a part of its limb. This incident highlights both the carelessness regarding extinct species and the importance of preserving history.