Top 10 Animals That Came Back from Extinction
#10: West Indian Ocean Coelacanth
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In the 1800s, the Coelacanth group of fish was believed to have been long extinct, since scientists had only seen their fossils. Yet in 1938, South African museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer had an ongoing deal with local fishermen to report unusual catches to her. And they just happened to find a Coelacanth. With help from her friend, ichthyologist J. L. B. Smith, the duo named the species Latimeria chalumnae, better known as the West Indian Ocean coelacanth. Due to their elusive nature, it’s tricky to know how many exist. But to help preserve them, in 2002, the South African government created the Coelacanth Programme for 10 million Rand, around $890,000. In 2016, the Coelacanth was added to the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
#9: De Winton's Golden Mole
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Named after zoologist William Edward de Winton, the De Winton's Golden Mole only had one known habitat within the sands of Port Nolloth, South Africa. However, the species seemingly vanished, as it hadn’t been seen since 1937. In 2017, a drive to locate the moles kicked off, leading to a survey in 2021 to find them. Yet in 2023, after two years of looking, and with the aid of sniffer dog Jessie, conservationists discovered the golden mole in the dunes. However, mining in the area has been threatening their habitat. Yet, with proof of the moles’ existence and the suggestion there’s a healthy population of them, agencies are looking to implement an Environmental Impact Assessment to protect the species from developers.
#8: Gould's Mouse
Since Europeans set foot on Australia, bringing with them a host of invasive predators, it resulted in the extinction of numerous native mammals, with rodents especially harmed. One such victim was believed to be Gould's mouse. After all, the rodents hadn’t been documented since around 1857. However, in 2021, scientists compared the DNA samples of the Gould's mouse to the Shark Bay mouse, also known as the djoongari. They found that they were the same and, and the animals were thriving on an island off the east Australian coast. Shortly before this incident, a host of Shark Bay mice were reintroduced to Dirk Hartog Island as part of an ecological restoration program known as the 1616 Conservation Project.
#7: Bermuda Petrel
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For sailors in the 1500s and 1600s, the Bermuda Petrel, or cahow, was a common sight in the seas near the island. However, overhunting by Europeans and the introduction of invasive predators seemingly caused the species to vanish in 1620. However, in 1951, after one adult perished flying into a lighthouse, Robert Murphy, Louis Mowbray, and teenager David Wingate discovered 18 nesting pairs. Wingate became a big reason the petrels were saved from extinction after he became the first conservation officer of Bermuda. He helped instigate the island’s conservation and recovery program in 1960. In 2018, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, stated there were 196 mature petrels, and their population is increasing. However, they’re still considered "Endangered."
#6: Rodrigues Flying Fox
On the Mauritian island of Rodrigues, their native flying fox, also known as the Rodrigues fruit bat, is one of the environment’s most vital pollinators and seed distributors. Studies have found that without them, native plants may struggle to survive. Due to the impact of tropical storms and overhunting, the number of flying foxes has dwindled. According to the IUCN, in 1979, only around 70 of them were left on Rodrigues. Led by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, many zoos around the world began captive breeding programs to save the Pteropus rodricensis, while other groups have focused efforts on Rodrigues and its inhabitants. In 2016, there were believed to be 20,000 mature Rodrigues flying foxes in existence.
#5: Galápagos Tortoise
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Made famous by Charles Darwin, the Galápagos tortoise is actually a species that has many subspecies. However, two are extinct, while many others saw their numbers fall drastically. The San Cristóbal giant tortoise was estimated to have a population of up to 700 in the 1970s. Due to conservation efforts, in 2016, there were 2,950 mature adults. Another threatened species is the Pinzón Island giant tortoise. On top of human exploitation, the introduction of rats on the island decimated the population. In 1965, a conservation program was instigated to transport eggs to be hatched in safe conditions. When older enough, they’re reintroduced to Pinzón Island to continue their lives.
#4: American Bison
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You don’t get much more U! S !A! than the American bison. In the late 1700s, there were millions of them roaming the country. Yet overhunting and purposeful extermination to hinder Native Americans meant only a few hundred existed by 1889. Massive conservation efforts have stopped the woods and plains species of the American bison from extinction, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, estimated that, in 2016, there were over 13,000 mature bison in the country. (Xref) The European bison also had their population decimated — in the UK, they were eradicated. However, in 2022, three bison were reintroduced in Kent, England. Shortly after, one surprised conservationists by giving birth, the first bison born in the country for thousands of years.
#3: Blue Whale
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With the invention of modern technology for whaling ships, it led to a massive 30,000 blue whales being hunted from 1930 to 1931 alone. At that startling rate, we could’ve lost the largest living animal on this planet. However, humans eventually stepped up. By 1955, the International Whaling Committee began protecting the species in various oceans, and by 1966, blue whale hunting was completely outlawed. Yet large cargo ships hitting them accidentally and underwater noise still threaten their numbers. According to the IUCN, while blue whales are still listed as "Endangered," their population has increased. In 2018, there were believed to be up to 15,000 mature blue whales roaming the oceans.
#2: Bald Eagle
The only creature that outdoes the American bison as the US’s symbolic animal is the bald eagle. Yet, if the 1900s had been different, we might’ve never seen the majestic bird again. In 1930, it was reported that the eagle was approaching extinction. One of the reasons was due to the overblown fear of the birds stealing livestock, or worse. As such, Alaska reportedly culled 70,000 of them within 12 years. But mixed in with pesticides weakening their eggs, pollution, and habitat destruction, it wasn’t looking good. By 1940, the US government began issuing legislation to protect the bald eagle. According to the IUCN, as of 2018, they are listed as “Least Concern” with an increasing population.
#1: Giant Panda
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When it comes to animals battling extinction, the main one people think of is the giant panda. Due to the loss of habitat, hunting, and a low birth rate, the outlook for the black and white bear seemed bleak. In one of China's surveys, the number of wild pandas was estimated to have fallen to 1,216 by 1988. Over the years, laws came in to protect them, as well as an increase in panda reserves. And while there was some success, the pandas needed additional help with breeding programs in zoos. In 2016, the IUCN stated pandas were no longer “Endangered” but “Vulnerable.” In 2021, the Chinese authorities announced their agreement on the assessment by claiming there were over 1800 wild pandas.
If you could bring back to life one extinct animal species, which would you choose? Let us know below!
