Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela Nigripes)

With Rounded Ears, a Short Muzzle, and Big, Dark Eyes, the Black-Footed Ferret Is the Only Ferret Species Native to North America—and It’s Downright Adorable. Perhaps Surprisingly, This Once-Presumed-Extinct Animal Owes Its Recovery to a Dog Named Shep, an Unlikely Ally That Helped Saved the Species by Killing One of Its Members.

New Zealand Storm-Petrel (Fregetta Maoriana)

With Nearly 100 Different Species of Seabirds Breeding on Its Shores and Islands, New Zealand Is Sometimes Called the Seabird Capital of the World. but Habitat Loss and Predation by Invasive Mammals Have Caused the Nation’s Seabird Numbers to Plummet.

Wallace’s Giant Bee (Megachile Pluto)

The World’s Biggest Bee Seems Like It Would Be Hard to Overlook. but Following Heavy Deforestation in Its Native Habitat—the North Molucca Islands in Indonesia—Wallace’s Giant Bee Went Missing for Nearly 40 Year's.

Fernandina Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis Phantasticus)

The Fernandina Giant Tortoise Was “Extinct” for More Than 100 Year's. but on February 17, 2019, Researchers Found One. Washington Tapia, Director of the Galápagos Conservancy’s Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative, and His Team Discovered the Female Tortoise on the Island of Fernandina in the Galapagos, the First of Her Kind Spotted Since 1906.

Crested Gecko (Correlophus Ciliatus)

The Crested Gecko Is Unique in Many Ways. It Can Lick Its Own Eyeballs and Use Electromagnetism to Stick to Walls. Its Coloration and Scale Patterns Vary Wildly Between Individuals, and It Has a Spiky Fringe That Fans out Above Its Eyes, Earning It the Nickname “Eyelash Gecko. ” It Also Has the Distinction of Going Unseen by Humans Longer Than Any Other Species on This List.

Wood's Hau Kuahiwi (Hibiscadelphus Woodii)

It’s Not Just Fauna That Sometimes Reappear on Our Radar. Some Plants Only Grow in Incredibly Remote Locations, Meaning It’s Difficult for Humans to Know If They’re Still Around.

Takahē (Porphyrio Hochstetteri)

Along with Its Namesake Storm-Petrel, New Zealand Is Home to Another Bird That Famously Surprised Scientists with Its Reemergence: the Takahē. Like Most Birds in New Zealand, Takahē Numbers Were Hit Hard When Polynesian Voyagers, and Then European Settlers, Introduced Rats, Stoats, Possums, and Other Predators to a Country with No Native Land Mammals.

Lord Howe Stick Insect (Dryococelus Australis)

Nicknamed the “Tree Lobster, ” the Lord Howe Stick Insect Is About the Size of a Human Hand. It Inhabits Lord Howe Island, About 350 Miles off Australia’s East Coast. and Like Many Island-Dwelling Species, the Lord Howe Stick Insect Was No Match for Rats, Which Invaded the Island When a Ship Crashed Nearby in 1918. Just a Few Year's Later, the Insects Were Difficult to Find. in 1960, Experts Declared Them Extinct.

Dogs, Drones, and Dna: How Eight “Extinct” Species Were Rediscovered | Nova

By David Miller

• Oct 9, 2026 • 10 min read

Dogs, Drones, and Dna: How Eight “Extinct” Species Were Rediscovered | Nova

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

It’s Hard to Imagine an Animal with “Giant” in Its Name Going Unnoticed for Decades. but Two Such Species Make Our List of Near Misses—Creatures Once Believed to Be Gone Forever. (Most Species Considered Extinct Aren’t So Lucky.)

David Miller

Executive Financial & Market Analyst

David Miller brings 15 years of experience in global economics, personal finance strategy, and market dynamics. He specializes in turning complex economic trends into actionable insights for everyday readers.

Tags: eight extinct species rediscovered