After being presumed missing for many years, the Caribbean monk seal has officially been declared extinct. It is, of course, sad when any species becomes extinct, and being large mammals ourselves we tend to feel it more when another large mammal goes. This time, however, we have even more reason to be sorry, because the Caribbean monk seal has a starring role in one of the best fantasy novels of 2007. It has won the Aurora for best novel, and is currently shortlisted for both the Sunburst and Mythopoeic Awards. If you want to know more, you’ll need to read The New Moon’s Arms by Nalo Hopkinson.