Archive · 6 Nov 2025
Animals Once Declared Extinct Make Surprising Comebacks
Imagine some animals were thought to be gone forever, like dinosaurs in stories.
But sometimes, scientists find them again, like finding a lost toy!
A spiny creature called a Long-beaked Echidna was missing for almost 60 years but was seen again in Indonesia.
A tiny dragon lizard in Australia, not seen since 1969, was also found!
There's also an ancient fish called a Coelacanth that scientists thought vanished 60 million years ago, but someone caught one in 1938.
Even a giant bee, four times bigger than normal, was found again after not being seen for many years.
These amazing reappearances show us that nature is full of surprises and that some animals we thought were lost forever are still out there.
Several animal species, once thought extinct, have been rediscovered, offering hope for conservation.
The Long-beaked Echidna, unseen since 1961, was spotted in Indonesia in November 2023.
The Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon, last seen in 1969, was rediscovered in Australia in 2023.
The ancient Coelacanth fish, presumed extinct for 60 million years, was found off the coast of South Africa in 1938.
Other rediscovered species include Wallace's Giant Bee, the Cuban Solenodon, the New Guinea Big-eared Bat, the Terror Skink, and the Antioquia Brushfinch.
- Who
- Various animal species including the Long-beaked Echidna, Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon, Coelacanth, Chacoan Peccary, Wallace's Giant Bee, Cuban Solenodon, New Guinea Big-eared Bat, Terror Skink, and Antioquia Brushfinch.
- What
- These animals were presumed extinct but have been rediscovered in recent decades, offering hope for conservation.
- When
- Rediscoveries occurred between 1938 and November 2023.
- Where
- Sightings and rediscoveries took place in various locations including Indonesia, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Cuba, New Guinea, and New Caledonia.
- Why
- The rediscoveries defy scientific expectations and demonstrate the resilience of nature, providing renewed hope for conservation efforts.
- Long-beaked Echidna Rediscovered
- November 2023, Indonesia
- Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon Sighting
- 2023, Australia
- Coelacanth 'Living Fossil' Found
- 1938, South Africa
- Chacoan Peccary Rediscovered
- 1971, Argentina
- Wallace's Giant Bee Found Again
- 2019, Indonesia
- Cuban Solenodon Sighted
- 1974, Cuba
- New Guinea Big-eared Bat Found
- 2012, New Guinea
- Terror Skink Reappeared
- 2000, New Caledonia
- Antioquia Brushfinch Rediscovered
- 2018, Colombia