Tag: Rediscovery

Dactylonax kambuayai – eine von zwei Beuteltierarten, die wiederentdeckt wurden
A female Dactylonax kambuayai from the Klalik area on the Vogelkop Peninsula. The species is one of two marsupial species recently rediscovered alive after being known only from fossils for a long time. (© Foto: Carlos Bocos, edited, aus: Flannery et al. 2026, Records of the Australian Museum, CC BY 4.0)

New Guinea: Two marsupials lost for 6,000 years rediscovered

In March 2026, an Australian research team led by zoologist Tim Flannery published two studies with surprising results: On the remote Vogelkop Peninsula in northwestern New Guinea, two marsupial species were found alive that had previously been known only from fossils approximately 6,000 to 7,500 years old. Such rediscoveries are

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Moth Drepanogynis insciata (Axiodes insciata) rediscovered after more than 140 years
For almost 150 years it was considered lost: this photo by Cameron Scott shows a male specimen of Drepanogynis insciata in January 2022 in Mossel Bay (South Africa) – alive, emerald-green, and back in the focus of science for the first time. (© cyamscott via iNaturalist, CC BY-NC 4.0)

South Africa: Moth thought extinct rediscovered after 147 years

Until a few years ago, the geometrid moth Drepanogynis insciata, which for a long time was listed under the name Axiodes insciata, was little more than a footnote in entomology. For nearly 150 years, only two historical museum specimens from the vicinity of the South African town of Swellendam and

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rediscovery of the rusty bush lark (Calendulauda rufa)
The image shows the rusty bush lark rediscovered in early February 2026 — one of the first photographs of the species ever taken. (© Pierre Defos du Rau, Idriss Dapsia, Julien Birard)

Rediscovery in Africa: rusty bush lark documented for the first time in 94 years

Africa: A bird species that has so far been little studied and had been considered missing for almost a century has now been rediscovered. In early February 2026, the rusty bush lark (Calendulauda rufa) was recorded alive again in Chad for the first time in decades. The rusty bush lark

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Prostalia granulata - rediscovered after 45 years
Prostalia granulata – male individual, photographed at Beacon Hill in the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. Characteristic are the numerous tiny raised granules (“granula”) covering the body surface. (© Adrian Armstrong, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife)

South Africa: Rediscovered after 45 years – a nearly forgotten grasshopper species is still alive

For more than four decades, Prostalia granulata, also known as the granulate bladder grasshopper, was considered lost. The rare grasshopper species was last scientifically documented in 1980. Since then, no verified records had been available—raising serious doubts about its continued existence. Then, in early December 2025, came the surprise: the

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Rediscoveries in 2025: Animal species believed to be lost and extinct
In 2025, several animal species returned to the focus of scientific attention after having long been considered lost or even thought to be extinct. (© Shrews: Tatiana Petrova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Snake: Photo courtesy of Professor Blair Hedges)

Rediscoveries in 2025: These animal species were considered lost or extinct

Species do not simply disappear just because no one has seen them for a long time. And they are just as little “saved” just because they suddenly reappear. Rediscoveries mark a narrow line between hope and uncertainty: they show that life can endure – often, however, only barely. In 2025,

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Bismarck kingfisher (Ceyx websteri) rediscovered
The Bismarck kingfisher, long considered lost, was documented on New Ireland in May 2025. (© Kai Squires, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Rediscovery: Rare kingfisher reappears after 13 years

The Bismarck kingfisher (Ceyx websteri) was considered lost for almost 13 years. Since the last confirmed record in 2012, the species had gone unobserved, raising fears that it might already be extinct. In May 2025, however, the species was confirmed again in Papua New Guinea: researcher John Lamaris documented a

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Lipochromis (Haplochromis) microdon Wiederentdeckung
Haplochromis microdon, an endemic cichlid from Lake Victoria, was considered lost for decades. The species can reach a length of up to 14.8 cm and is one of the specialized fish fry predators in the lake's ecosystem. (© Dr. Anna Mahulu, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern)

Lost in Lake Victoria: Cichlid Haplochromis microdon Rediscovered After 40 Years

For decades, it was considered lost — perhaps even extinct. But now there is new hope for Haplochromis microdon, an endemic cichlid species from Lake Victoria: As reported by the organization SHOAL in an article by Anna Mahulu, the species was detected for the first time since 1985 during targeted

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Eyprepocprifas insularis Monte Gordo grasshopper
A male Monte Gordo grasshopper, photographed in January 2023. The rare species was last recorded in 1980 and was considered extinct thereafter. Males reach a body length of around two centimetres, while females can grow to over three centimetres. (© Rob Felix, from: Felix et al. (2025), Journal of Orthoptera Research, CC BY 4.0)

Rediscovery on São Nicolau: the Monte Gordo grasshopper is no longer considered extinct

After more than four decades without a single confirmed record, it was considered extinct. But in January 2023, Dutch entomologists Rob Felix and Annelies Jacobs made a surprising discovery in Monte Gordo Natural Park on the Cape Verde island of São Nicolau: in the beam of their flashlight, a grasshopper

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A. hebardi
The grasshopper species Appalachia hebardi, long believed to be extinct, is flightless, measures about 2.5 to 3.8 centimeters in length, and has so far been recorded in only three U.S. states. (© Nicholas Gilchenok, courtesy of the photographer, via iNaturalist)

USA: Appalachian grasshopper thought to be extinct rediscovered

In Augusta County, Virginia, USA, an interesting discovery was made: The Appalachian grasshopper (Appalachia hebardi), a species belonging to the family of Acrididae that had been considered extinct for decades, has been rediscovered. The last confirmed sighting of this rare species dates back—depending on the source—either to the 1960s or

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rediscovered in Peru: Sira barbet and Peruvian solitaire
The Sira barbet, which had not been documented for twelve years, was tracked down during an expedition in July 2024. Its striking red breast band and contrasting plumage make it an unmistakable inhabitant of Peru’s Sira Mountains. (© Michael G. Harvey/Cornell University, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Two lost birds rediscovered in Peru: Sira barbet and Peruvian solitaire

The Search for Lost Birds project has set itself the task of tracking down “lost” bird species that have not been documented in the wild for more than a decade. These species—without recent genetic or photographic evidence and without ex situ populations—are often considered lost to science. According to a

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