1. to hunt (animals or a species) excessively, reducing the population below sustainable levels
Usage: transitive verb; often used in conservation and wildlife management contexts

Examples

• Whaling companies overhunted whale populations throughout the 20th century.
• If we continue to overhunt deer in this region, the ecosystem will suffer.
• Indigenous communities worked with scientists to prevent overhunting of endangered species.
• The ivory trade overhunted African elephants to near extinction.
• Overhunting has caused several bird species to become critically endangered.
• Regulations were put in place to stop overhunting of salmon in the Pacific Northwest.