Just because a species is labeled as extinct does not necessarily mean that they’re gone from this Earth forever. Deep in the Mosquitia rainforest of Honduras, researchers recently rediscovered a species thought to be extinct at the ruins of a recently discovered ancient settlement known as the ‘Lost City of the Monkey God’.
The government of Honduras wanted to know what wildlife was living in this undisturbed region and commissioned an extensive survey of the area’s biodiversity, which yielded incredible results. The expedition, carried out by a team of scientists led by Conservation International’s Rapid Assessment Program, have discovered a veritable ecological treasure, which included 246 species of butterflies, 30 bats, 57 amphibians and reptiles, alongside many plants, fishes, mammals, and insects – many of whom are rare and endangered. Among the creatures uncovered was also a tiger beetle, previously only ever recorded in Nicaragua and believed to be extinct.
If you wish to take a peek at what this exciting discovery has unveiled, the explorers took a range of photographs – from micro images capturing the animals in all their detail to wide-lens images that evoke the landscape and the creatures’ home!
