extinction
Explanation
The Joke
Conservation scientists are discussing the dire situation of an endangered species -- there is only one male and three females left. One scientist notes that while not ideal, it should be possible to breed more offspring. However, there is a problem: "Unfortunately, the last male is one of those guys who gets really irritated about improper semicolon usage." The animal (which appears to be a rhinoceros) is shown reading a book and angrily exclaiming "Preceding a conjunction? Really?!" about someone's semicolon placement. The scientists conclude: "They are lost to us."
The comic creates an absurd scenario where a critically endangered species cannot be saved because the last remaining male is too obsessed with grammar pedantry to focus on mating. The animal's fixation on punctuation rules -- specifically the contested usage of semicolons before conjunctions -- is so all-consuming that the scientists have given up hope for the species entirely.
The Humor
The humor comes from the collision of two completely unrelated concerns: the urgent biological imperative to save a species from extinction, and the trivial (but deeply felt) annoyance of grammar pedantry. The joke also works as a satire of a certain type of person -- the grammar pedant who is so consumed by their pet peeve that they become completely dysfunctional in all other areas of life. The scientists' resigned declaration that the species is "lost to us" treats grammar pedantry as a terminal, untreatable condition, which is funny precisely because anyone who has dealt with a committed grammar pedant knows the feeling.
References
- Semicolon usage debates: There is genuine disagreement among style guides about whether semicolons should be used before coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or). Most modern guides advise against it, but the practice has historical precedent.