Historical event

End-Ordovician Extinction

Date: about 445 Million Years Ago

The first of the 'Big Five' mass extinction events, primarily affecting marine life. It consisted of two pulses, likely caused by global cooling, glaciation, and subsequent sea level fall and rise.

Tags: end-ordovician extinction, mass extinction, paleozoic, marine life, glaciation, sea level change, paleontology

Open the interactive timeline viewer to explore this event in historical context.