For the last 10,000 years, thousands of species have perished from the Holocene extinction event, which is still ongoing. Unfortunately, due to human activity, around 150-200 species become extinct every day. However, some species considered extinct have been rediscovered alive by modern science.
Here are seven of many formerly extinct animal species found alive.
1. Coelacanths Are Living Fossils
The most famous rediscovered animal is the coelacanth. Unlike most other lost species found, this fish was believed to have disappeared during the K-Pg Mass Extinction (which also killed off the dinosaurs). However, in 1938, a few live fish were discovered off the coast of South Africa by a museum curator on an expedition, shocking the entire zoological community.
Even though coelacanths are known as “living fossils,” recent fossil discoveries have shown that they were once much more diverse. Thousands of years ago, coelacanths came in a variety of shapes and forms; now, only two species remain: the West Indian Ocean coelacanth and the Indonesian coelacanth. Both species are nocturnal and prefer the colder, darker depths of the ocean, hence their rarity. Pollution and bycatch both threaten the coelacanths’ survival: the West Indian Ocean species is currently critically endangered.
2. The Kunimasu: Rediscovered in 2010
The Kunimasu, also known as the Black kokanee salmon, was only found in Lake Tazawa, Japan. In 1940, water from the Tama River was introduced into Lake Tazawa as the construction of a hydroelectric dam occurred. Kunimasu are very sensitive to drastic changes in pH, and water from the river was too acidic for them to survive. Ultimately, it was feared that this salmon was extinct.
However, in 2010, a few live ones were captured from nearby Lake Saiko by a research team, including a celebrity biologist known as Sakana-Kun. It turns out that in 1935, just five years before its presumed extinction, a last-ditch attempt to save the Kunimasu was conducted by introducing fertile eggs into Lake Saiko and nearby lakes; the project was considered a failure. Though currently extinct in the wild (Lake Saiko is not this species’ native habitat), Kunimasu seem to be thriving well in captivity.
A few Japanese aquariums are currently raising and breeding this species for conservation purposes. It is hoped that someday, this fish will be successfully reintroduced to Lake Tazawa.
3. The Gilbert’s Potoroo: Rediscovered in the 90s
Probably among the most adorable creatures on our list, the Gilbert’s potoroo was feared extinct for almost 100 years. Discovered by British settlers in 1840, this marsupial disappeared just 40 years later. However, on a lucky day in 1994, a live potoroo was caught in a cage trap by a researcher studying wallabies.
The Gilbert’s potoroo can only be found in a few protected reserves in Southwestern Australia. Their diet consists mostly of underground fungi, which they dig up with their front claws. Not much is known about its biology due to its overall rarity and nocturnal behavior.
Feral cats, foxes, and bushfires remain the largest threats to the Gilbert’s potoroo. In 2015, a single bush fire destroyed around 90% of the remaining potoroo habitat and killed around 15 potoroos, decimating almost a quarter of the wild population. This species is currently listed as critically endangered and is widely regarded as both the rarest marsupial and mammal living today.
4. Chacoan Peccaries: Endangered, Pig-like Creatures
The Chacoan peccary was first discovered in a fossilized form, leading Western scientists in South America to believe that the animal was extinct––although locals knew otherwise. It wasn’t until 1972 that a live animal was confirmed.
The Chacoan peccary is the largest of the three living peccary species. This species is well-adapted to the harsh, dry conditions of the Gran Chaco region. Its legs are thin, allowing it to navigate thorny vegetation. Its nostrils are covered in tough skin, allowing it to forage through spiky plants such as cacti and succulents. Its kidneys are even adapted to filter out the acid from cacti and produce concentrated urine to conserve water.
Sadly, Chacoan peccaries are endangered due to habitat loss and overhunting. In many parts of its range, peccary meat is considered a local delicacy. It is also hunted for its skin, though peccary hide isn’t very valuable. Fortunately, many reputable zoos have established a breeding program to ensure a healthy population for this species.
5. Rio Apaporis Caimans Were Rediscovered on TV
The Rio Apaporis caiman is a subspecies of the spectacled caiman, which was feared extinct after the last captive individual died in 1989. However, a 2019 expedition managed to find a live adult caiman along with some hatchlings. This discovery was popularized on the Discovery Channel program, Extinct or Alive, and DNA samples proved that the caiman in question was indeed a Rio Apaporis caiman.
The Rio Apaporis caiman differs from its relatives in that it sports a long, thin muzzle, unusual even for other known spectacled caiman subspecies. Its namesake comes from the Rio Apaporis River in Colombia, where this reptile can be found.
Though the spectacled caiman overall is common throughout its entire range, very little is known about this subspecies. Overhunting remains a threat to the Rio Apaporis caiman, and population trends are unknown. Some researchers do not even believe that this caiman is a valid subspecies, but rather, an ecotype of the common caiman instead.
6. The Takahē Resurfaced in the 1940s
In 1847, the Takahē was known only from fossil bones. Just a few years later, some Takahē were spotted in New Zealand’s South Island, and a few were captured for research. These birds were already on the decline as their preferred habitat, alpine grassland, shrunk from climate change even before European settlement.
The Takahē was declared extinct by 1898 due to overhunting and competition with introduced deer. Sightings of large, blueish-green birds were reported by explorers for years afterward, but such observations were unconfirmed until 1948, when two animals were briefly captured and photographed before being released.
The Takahē may look like a chicken but is completely unrelated. Instead, it is a type of rail and is the largest species in its family. Having no natural predators, it became flightless and increased in size (as a form of insular gigantism). Takahē are very territorial and will defend their grazing areas against threats.
Even though Takahē are endangered, their future looks bright as wild populations are increasing. Conservation measures include the eradication of invasive species, such as deer and stoats, protection of alpine habitats, and captive breeding of this species.
7. The Lord Howe Island Stick Insect
Though insects may scare some, the Lord Howe Island stick insect deserves another chance of survival. Also known as the tree lobster, this species is found only on Lord Howe Island, off the coast of Australia.
Tree lobsters were once so common on their island that locals used them as fishing bait. However, after a shipwreck occurred in 1918, a population of black rats colonized the island as an invasive species. Just two years later, stick insects became extinct on the island.
In 2001, researchers found 24 Lord Howe Island stick insects on a single shrub on Ball’s Pyramid, an offshore volcanic stack not too far away. After this marvelous discovery, some specimens were collected for conservation purposes. A breeding program was created, and since then, thousands of babies have been produced.
In hopes of reintroducing stick insects back to Lord Howe Island, there is currently a campaign to eradicate all black rats on the island. Someday, tree lobsters can flourish back on Lord Howe Island once again.
