Back from the dead: 9 species rediscovered in 2022
They’re really good at hiding.
First documented in 1882, this chicken-sized bird was caught on camera for the first time ever this year.
This funny-nosed, big-eared bat was lost to science after its last recorded sighting in 1981.
But it was rediscovered during an 8-year bat survey at Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda.
Scientists also recorded several other bat species in the park that hadn’t been found there before.
Last seen in 1985, this rare, tropical plant was named to predict what scientists thought would be its imminent fate — extinction.
Photo by Riley Fortier
However, its presence in western Ecuador was recently recorded at five different sites, and reported in a study this year.
Despite the discovery, G. extinctus still remains endangered.
Dr. Matthew L. Niemiller
Its numbers dwindled following groundwater contamination and ecosystem disruption in the 60s and 70s.
Though scientists recorded the crayfish’s first sighting in over 30 years this year, it still remains endangered.
These prickly-legged insects were nearly driven to extinction by rats that arrived on Lord Howe Island in 1918.
The last of this rare oak species was thought to have died off in 2011, but a new specimen — one battered by wildfire and disease — was discovered this year.
United States Botanic Garden
Researchers found the tree in Big Bend National Park in Texas, barely clinging to life.
Several organizations are now trying to preserve and propagate it, sowing hope that the species could continue existing into the future.
This iridescent hummingbird was spotted in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range by an experienced birdwatcher.
A tortoise nicknamed Fernanda took a DNA test, which revealed that she was the last living member of her species.
Researchers detailed the full scope of their abundance in a 2022 report.
However, they caution that rediscovery does not necessarily mean recovery, as many species are still endangered.