Just because something hasn’t been seen in decades doesn’t always mean it’s truly gone.
Nature has a way of surprising us—especially when species written off as extinct suddenly reappear. Some were rediscovered accidentally, others after decades of searching, and all of them proved that extinction declarations aren’t always the final word. Here are some of the animals that pulled off a comeback when no one thought they could.
1. Coelacanth (Latimeria)
Once thought to have vanished 65 million years ago with the dinosaurs, the coelacanth shocked the scientific world in 1938 when one was hauled out of the waters near South Africa. It wasn’t a fossil—it was alive and well, just incredibly elusive.
This ancient fish, often called a “living fossil,” had gone completely undetected in modern times. Since then, more have been found off the coasts of Comoros and Indonesia, proving they’d simply been hiding deep in the ocean all along.
2. Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri)
This large, flightless bird from New Zealand was declared extinct in the late 1800s after settlers wiped out much of its habitat and introduced predators it couldn’t defend against. For over 50 years, no one saw a single one. Then, in 1948, a small group was found deep in a remote mountain valley. Thanks to major conservation efforts, their numbers are slowly increasing—though they’re still incredibly rare and fiercely protected.
3. Lord Howe Island Stick Insect
This massive, tree-dwelling insect—nicknamed the “land lobster”—was thought to be extinct since the 1920s, after rats introduced to the island wiped out native species. No one had seen one in decades. That changed in 2001, when a few were found clinging to a single shrub on a rocky sea stack called Ball’s Pyramid. The discovery reignited hope for their survival, and breeding programs are now working to reintroduce them to their original island home.
4. Cuban Solenodon
This bizarre, shrew-like creature is one of the few venomous mammals on Earth. Long thought extinct due to habitat destruction and predators, the Cuban solenodon hadn’t been seen for over 70 years. Then in the early 2000s, scientists rediscovered it in remote parts of eastern Cuba. It’s rare, nocturnal, and a little terrifying, but very much alive, and now being studied for its evolutionary importance.
5. Bermuda Petrel (Cahow)
This seabird was thought extinct for over 300 years, wiped out by colonists and invasive rats. However, in the 1950s, ornithologists discovered a tiny nesting population on an uninhabited islet off Bermuda’s coast. Thanks to careful conservation, including hand-feeding chicks and restoring habitat, their numbers have grown. It’s one of the most dramatic comebacks in bird conservation history, and a reminder that even centuries-old assumptions can be wrong.
6. Somali Sengi (Elephant Shrew)
This tiny mammal hadn’t been seen since the 1970s and was feared extinct due to political instability in its range. With no confirmed sightings in over 50 years, many believed it was lost for good. Then in 2020, researchers confirmed several sightings in Djibouti. Not only was it alive—it was thriving. It’s a miniature miracle of survival, and proof that even small, overlooked creatures can stage a comeback.
7. Night Parrot
This elusive Australian bird hadn’t been seen alive for over 100 years, becoming one of the world’s most mysterious avian disappearances. Despite scattered reports, no one had solid proof it still existed. Then in 2013, photos and recordings confirmed that the night parrot was still out there, living in remote parts of Queensland. It’s still incredibly hard to spot, but no longer a ghost species.
8. Terror Skink (Phoboscincus bocourti)
With a name like that, you’d expect it to be extinct. This two-foot-long, sharp-toothed lizard from New Caledonia was known only from a single museum specimen collected in the 1800s, and was presumed lost forever. Then, in 2003, a live one was spotted, and more were confirmed in 2009. Though rare, they still survive on tiny islets, showing that even aggressive-looking reptiles can keep a low profile for over a century.
9. Fernandina Giant Tortoise
Believed extinct since 1906, this Galápagos tortoise species was one of the rarest in the world. Scientists held out hope due to occasional tracks or droppings, but no live individuals had been found in over a century. In 2019, a female was finally discovered on Fernandina Island. She’s now part of a breeding program aimed at reviving the species—and there may be more still hiding on the volcanic island’s rugged terrain.
10. Black-Footed Ferret
This North American predator was declared extinct in the wild in the late 1970s. Disease and habitat loss wiped out known populations, and there were no signs of survivors. But in 1981, a small population was found in Wyoming. Since then, captive breeding and reintroduction efforts have brought this scrappy little hunter back to the prairies—and it’s now a celebrated conservation success story.
11. Pygmy Tarsier
This tiny, wide-eyed primate hadn’t been officially recorded since the 1920s and was assumed extinct due to habitat destruction. For decades, scientists had no luck tracking one down. Then in 2008, researchers in Indonesia captured and released several live pygmy tarsiers. Not only were they still around—they were living quietly in the misty highlands, rarely seen and rarely heard.
12. Wallaby Rock-Wallaby (Petrogale persephone)
Once feared extinct due to deforestation and introduced predators, this small marsupial disappeared from sight for decades. It was considered one of Australia’s lost species—until remote camera traps told a different story. Images from Queensland bushland in recent years revealed a surviving population. Though extremely rare, these wallabies are now being studied and protected, with new efforts to preserve their remaining habitat.