Buzz
We've previously shared the latest scientific attempts to revive extinct species. However, the idea of 'extinction' might not be so clear-cut after all. In fact, extinct animals are still being spotted. Here are some of the most credible reports of sightings.
10. Woolly Mammoth
The internet went wild (for hours, probably) over a video showing a bear with a fish in its mouth that was posted to YouTube. Tabloid headlines (predictably) began asking, “Could woolly mammoths still be out there?” But, despite the hype, no sightings have been reported in over a century—since the 20th century, to be exact. This seems strange considering the woolly mammoth vanished about 4,000 years ago.
However, in 1920, a Frenchman recounted an extraordinary tale of seeing what certainly sounds like a mammoth in Siberia:
“It was an enormous elephant with large, curved white tusks. Its fur was a dark chestnut color as far as I could see. The hair on its hindquarters was relatively long, but shorter at the front. I was completely shocked—I'd never seen such massive elephants before! Another creature was nearby… It appeared to be at least as large as the first one.”
As recently as 1948, frozen mammoths were discovered, and their meat was still fresh. While not conclusive proof, the remoteness of Siberia makes it plausible that something could have survived.
From time to time, unofficial reports from the area surface, speaking of “elephant-like” creatures. Though not definitive, it’s difficult to confuse an elephant with a moose, so perhaps there’s some truth to these sightings.
9. Passenger Pigeon
Passenger pigeons once numbered in the billions. John James Audubon observed a massive flock overhead for three days—about 300 million pigeons passing by every hour. That’s an extraordinary number of birds. However, having such huge populations made them easy targets for hunters. A combination of hunting, habitat destruction, and disease led to their extinction.
Attempts to keep small captive populations failed, as these birds were accustomed to living in vast groups. The last known passenger pigeon, Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.
Seven years after the passenger pigeon was declared extinct in the wild, a well-regarded figure reported sightings of a few. US President Theodore Roosevelt, the first environmental president who was well-versed in animal species, claimed to have seen a small flock in Albemarle County in 1907.
Occasionally, people report seeing birds that resemble passenger pigeons, like this brief video. Small groups of passenger pigeons are sometimes spotted in their former nesting grounds, primarily around the Ozark Mountains.
It’s entirely plausible that these smaller flocks managed to survive. Many people familiar with their appearance have reported seeing passenger pigeons long after the species was declared extinct.
8. Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine)
Tasmanian tigers were hunted because they were seen as a threat to livestock. Habitat destruction also played a role—settlers have a way of doing that to wildlife. The thylacine was officially declared extinct in 1936.
However, sightings of the thylacine are surprisingly frequent, at least among extinct species. They've been reported in both Tasmania and mainland Australia, though none of the sightings have been scientifically verified. On the bright side, a few of these reports came from sober witnesses:
“In 1979, there was a widely reported sighting of a Tasmanian tiger by fencing workers at Lang Lang early one morning. This is one of the few daytime sightings, and it was witnessed by several individuals—most importantly, they hadn’t been drinking.”
There are nearly a dozen other sightings. Some confusion arises from the fact that many of these reports come from mainland Australia, where the species has been extinct since the 1800s. Additionally, there's some intriguing footage available (start at 2:35 in the video above). You could argue that what appears in the video is just a dog with a limp, but there are those who believe it's a Tasmanian tiger.
7. Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin)
Yet, just a year later, one was reportedly sighted. A team of researchers, led by scientist Wang Ding, confirmed the sighting. This gives hope for the survival of the species.
But then one was spotted a mere year later. A team of scholars, led by scientist Wang Ding, confirmed the sighting. That’s positive news for the survival of the species.
Unfortunately, there has only been that one confirmed sighting. A major expedition covering over 3,540 kilometers (2,200 miles) failed to find any additional sightings. However, given the vast length of the Yangtze River, there’s always a possibility that a few baiji might still be out there.
6. Japanese Wolf
There were actually two distinct types of Japanese wolves: the Honshu wolf and the Hokkaido wolf. Both species were driven to extinction in the same tragic way that many others were—at the hands of an American, due to their perceived threat to livestock. A man named Edwin Dun, hired by the Japanese, poisoned the wolves with strychnine, speeding up their decline. The Honshu wolf was gone by 1905, and the Hokkaido wolf by 1889.
Despite being officially extinct, the Japanese wolf was reported to have appeared in 1910, again in the 1930s, and once more in the 1950s.
If that’s not enough, there have even been reports in the 1990s. One theory suggests that the creatures seen—and heard howling—might be wolf-dog hybrids. That’s a reasonable possibility, but the bigger question is whether these are a breeding population, or could it be that the Japanese wolf is still roaming the countryside?
5. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
The ivory-billed woodpecker is somewhat unique—it was never officially declared extinct. Though it was listed as extinct in the 1920s, it was spotted throughout the 1940s. In the 1950s, it was once again presumed extinct, but of course, sightings continue to surface. In 2005, a team of ornithologists recorded no fewer than 15 confirmed sightings of the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas.
Given that the ornithologists were from Cornell, an Ivy League institution, you'd think the ivory-billed woodpecker was still soaring through the skies. However, the bird has become a controversial subject in the scientific community. Many experts question the accuracy of the Cornell report.
Then again, people were wrong about its extinction in both the 1920s and the 1940s. It's entirely possible the ivory-billed woodpecker is still out there today.
4. Eastern Cougar
The Eastern cougar was officially declared extinct in 2011, which is somewhat surprising given the numerous sightings that continue to occur.
There have been sightings in almost every East Coast state, including many that occurred after the 2011 extinction declaration. In fact, entire websites are dedicated to tracking state-specific cougar sightings.
In New Hampshire, people have seen and even photographed a cougar that wasn’t supposed to be there. Additionally, there are tracks, scat, and fur—exactly what you’d expect from a living animal. The Eastern cougar doesn’t seem to be extinct at all.
3. Javan Tiger
The Javan tiger was native to the Indonesian island of Java. Hunting was the primary cause of its extinction. On an island, there’s only so far an animal can run when being hunted.
The last official sighting of the Javan tiger was in 1976. However, there were alleged captures throughout the 1980s. An extensive search in the mid-1990s led to the declaration in 1994 that the Javan tiger was extinct—until, that is, someone spotted them again in 1995. A Javan forester accidentally discovered a group of them.
Sightings of the Javan tiger continued into the first decade of the 2000s. The Meru Betiri National Park, where the last confirmed sighting occurred, seems to be the most likely place for their continued survival. Activist Wahyu Giri Prasetyo has consistently found evidence of the tiger, from fur to scat. He remains convinced that the Javan tiger is still out there.
Of all the extinct animals, the Javan tiger is arguably the most likely to still exist.
2. Mexican Grizzly Bear
The Mexican grizzly bear once roamed from Mexico all the way up to Colorado. It was believed that the last one was killed in Mexico in 1960, and it was officially declared extinct in 1964. However, sightings of Mexican grizzlies still persist.
While the North American grizzly is found much further north, there have been credible sightings in southern Colorado. There is also a notable increase in grizzly sightings in the area that was once the Mexican grizzly’s territory.
There are certainly grizzlies in those regions. The only question is whether they are Mexican grizzlies. A 1979 study, 15 years after they were declared extinct, found evidence of grizzlies in Mexico, including claw marks and footprints. The study also confirmed that remote areas in Mexico were suitable habitats for grizzly bears.
1. Japanese River Otter
Japanese river otters became increasingly rare in the 1930s. By the 1970s, they were virtually extinct. Declared officially extinct in 2012, it took just a year for one to be spotted again.
Sightings of the Japanese river otter are surprisingly frequent. In the first year since being declared extinct, there have been 15 sightings. While most of these are considered unofficial, getting a sighting recognized as official is no easy feat—it usually requires capturing the animal.
Scientists often mention that most of the otters recently spotted were found in unusual areas, such as polluted rivers. But wouldn't an animal, especially one with dwindling numbers, be more likely to head toward easy sources of food or even garbage?
+Mastodon
Mastodons have been extinct for around 11,000 years. One theory for their disappearance suggests tuberculosis played a role. However, some intriguing reports claim that these creatures were seen as recently as 500 years ago.
In the 1560s, an Englishman named David Ingram made his way to the Americas. He trekked over 3,218 kilometers (2,000 miles) through what is now the United States, regaling tales of Native Americans adorned with gold jewelry and, notably, 'hairy elephants.'
That's right—Ingram spoke of mastodons long after they were believed to have gone extinct. While his account might be easily dismissed, it's worth noting he also accurately described buffalo and the landscape of the areas he reportedly visited.
Though there are still unconfirmed sightings of mastodons circulating online, it's interesting to consider David Ingram's precise description of these creatures. At the time, he had no reason to believe mastodons existed in the Americas, nor could he have known exactly what he was seeing.
