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Our planet is home to a wide variety of fascinating creatures. However, due to habitat destruction and human activity, numerous species have vanished. Efforts to track down these lost species are now underway. Scientists and conservationists are working hard to safeguard the remaining members of these rediscovered species. Below are some animals once thought to be extinct but have since made a remarkable comeback.
10. Chapman’s Pygmy Chameleon
The Chapman’s pygmy chameleon (Rhampholeon chapmanorum), a tiny reptile measuring just 2.2 inches (5.5 centimeters) in length, was first discovered in 1992. However, it wasn't seen again in the wild until 2016. Researchers from the South African National Biodiversity Institute and the Museums of Malawi successfully located this elusive chameleon in the rainforest.
In the past four decades, roughly 80% of the rainforests in Malawi Hills, where the chameleons reside, have been destroyed, primarily due to agricultural expansion. The species is critically endangered, with the remaining populations becoming increasingly isolated, which threatens genetic diversity. Experts are urging for additional population surveys and monitoring, along with immediate conservation efforts to protect the remaining habitats of these remarkable creatures.
9. Black Browed Babbler
The only known specimen of the black browed babbler (Malacocincla perspicillata) was collected between 1843 and 1848 by German naturalist Carl A. L. M. Schwaner. This specimen is currently housed at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands. This bird holds the record for the longest missing period of any Asian species, having been lost to science for an astonishing 170 years. However, recent sightings in the forests of South Kalimantan, Indonesia, by two local individuals confirmed its existence. The photographs taken during these sightings were sent to ornithologists, who verified that it was indeed the black browed babbler.
This bird is characterized by its sturdy build, with a relatively short tail and a powerful bill. The upper side is dark brown, while the underside has a greyish hue, featuring fine white streaks extending up to the breast. A distinct facial pattern is also present, with a chestnut-brown crown outlined by a broad black eye stripe that runs across the cheeks and extends to the nape and sides of the neck.
8. Sierra Leone Crab
Since 1955, there have been no confirmed sightings of the vibrant, small Sierra Leone crab. However, in 2021, Pierre Mvogo Ndongo, a researcher and lecturer at the University of Douala in Cameroon, embarked on a mission to find this elusive creature. The three-week expedition in Sierra Leone, West Africa, resulted in the discovery of six Sierra Leone crabs (Afrithelphusa leonensis), with the help of local residents who assisted in the search.
The Sierra Leone crabs that were found inhabit inland areas, burrowing into the forest floor away from water sources. They have adapted to air-breathing. The males of the species feature pinkish-purple claws and orange legs, while the females have purple bodies with orange-yellow legs.
7. Coelacanth
Once thought to have gone extinct alongside the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, the coelacanth (Latimeria) astonished the world when it was rediscovered in 1938 off the coast of South Africa. This remarkable lobe-finned fish sparked widespread curiosity, leading to debates about its role in the evolutionary transition from aquatic to terrestrial life forms.
The coelacanth and its close relative, the Indonesian coelacanth, share several unique morphological traits not found in other species. One of the most remarkable features is its pair of lobe fins, which resemble legs and move in a rhythm similar to a trotting horse. Other notable traits include a hinged skull joint that allows the fish to open its mouth wide to catch large prey, an oil-filled tube called a notochord that functions as a backbone, thick scales similar to those found only on extinct fish, and an electro-sensory organ in its snout that likely helps detect prey.
6. Wallace’s Giant Bee
In 1859, British naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace discovered the world’s largest bee, a giant, black wasp-like insect about the size of an adult thumb. It was thought to have been extinct until 1981, when entomologist Adam Messer found specimens of Megachile pluto, now preserved in museums.
Decades after the last recorded sighting, an international team of conservationists traveled to Indonesia in January 2019, retracing Wallace’s path in a bid to find the bee once more. After a challenging journey, the team successfully documented a live specimen, reigniting hopes for the species’ survival.
5. Fernandina’s Giant Tortoise
The Fernandina Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis phantasticus) had not been seen for 112 years and was presumed extinct. However, in 2019, a female tortoise was discovered during an expedition led by Animal Planet host Forrest Galante, the Galápagos Conservancy, and the Galápagos National Park Directorate (GNPD).
A blood sample was sent to geneticists at Yale University, where a team led by Dr. Gisella Caccone worked to explore the genetic origins of the female tortoise and how closely she resembled the only other tortoise found on Fernandina Island. Nicknamed “Fernanda” by her discoverers, DNA analysis confirmed that she is indeed related to the native Chelonoidis phantasticus species, fulfilling the long-held hopes of the scientists at the Galápagos Conservancy and GNPD.
4. Aldabra Rail
The Aldabra rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus) is native to the Aldabra Islands Atoll in the Seychelles, located in the southwestern Indian Ocean. Known for its inability to fly, the Aldabra rail was believed to have been entirely wiped out when its island habitat was submerged. However, the bird re-evolved when the sea level receded. Fossils of the Aldabra rail, dating back around 136,000 years, have been compared to a more recent specimen of about 100,000 years old, revealing striking similarities.
The return of the Aldabra rail is an extraordinary case of evolutionary iteration. Research led by Dr. Julian Hume, an avian paleontologist from the Natural History Museum, and Professor David Martill, a paleobiologist from the University of Portsmouth, concluded that this phenomenon is unique to the Aldabra rail, with no other bird species exhibiting such a rare occurrence. This discovery opens up the possibility of future evolutionary iterations in other species.
3. Santa Marta Sabrewing
The Santa Marta sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) is a vibrant emerald-green hummingbird endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northeastern Colombia. In 2010, Yurgen Vega, an avid birdwatcher, unexpectedly spotted a male Santa Marta sabrewing in the mountains. This marked only the second documented sighting of this critically endangered species since 1946, which had long been considered extinct by scientists.
Very little is known about the Santa Marta sabrewing. It inhabits humid tropical forests and is believed to be migratory. During the rainy season, it feeds on nectar from flowering plants. Only around 15% of the Santa Marta mountain forests remain intact, and the bird was discovered in an unprotected forest area. Experts are calling for more research and conservation efforts to safeguard this endangered species.
2. Jackson’s Climbing Salamander
Jackson’s climbing salamander (Bolitoglossa jacksoni), also known as the golden wonder due to its striking yellow color, was first discovered in 1975 by Jeremy Jackson. It was believed to be extinct until 2016, when Tomas Ramos Leon, a park guard at a newly established amphibian reserve in the Cuchumatanes Mountain range, spotted the salamander. Carlos Vasquez, the curator of herpetology at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, confirmed the sighting based on photographs. This confirmation followed an educational campaign by FUNDAECO (Foundation for Ecodevelopment and Conservation) to help park rangers identify rare species.
The rediscovery of Jackson’s climbing salamander prompted the expansion of the reserve. The park also houses the Finca Chiblac salamander and the long-limbed salamander, both of which were rediscovered in 2014. Although rediscovered after 42 years, Jackson’s climbing salamander remains critically endangered.
1. Somali Elephant Shrew
The Somali elephant shrew (Elephantulus revoilii), also known as a sengi, was last formally documented in the 1970s. This creature is a strange combination of various animal traits. Its body resembles that of a mouse, but its long, slender legs are more like those of a gazelle, enabling it to dash swiftly over rocky terrain. The Somali sengi also features a trunk-like nose similar to an elephant’s, which it uses to suck up ants. Its closest living relatives include aardvarks, elephants, and manatees.
Although the Somali sengi was thought to be extinct in scientific circles, the locals always considered it to be present. In 2019, a team of researchers, including Steven Heritage from Duke University Lemur Center, Galen Rathbun from the California Academy of Sciences, Houssien Rayaleh, an ecologist from Djibouti, and local scientist Djama Awaleh, embarked on an expedition to the Horn of Africa. They used over 1,000 traps with a peanut butter, oatmeal, and yeast mixture as bait across 12 sites. Their two-week search resulted in the discovery of 12 sengis and the first live documentation of the species in decades.
