Giant tortoise believed extinct for 100 years is actually alive
We previously shared a story about a family finding their pet tortoise alive and well in their attic after it had been missing for over 30 years. Now prepare for an equally endearing tortoise comeback story. Considered extinct for more than a century, a giant tortoise is actually alive in the Read More...
Meet the animals that refused to go extinct
May 20th marks the 17th annual Endangered Species Day. Every year, thousands of people around the world join together in taking action to protect and celebrate endangered or threatened species. In solidarity with the lives of the wonderful creatures with whom we share Earth, The Optimist Daily Read More...
Paleontologists find dinosaur fossil from the day of the asteroid
Thanks to carbon dating and a number of other scientific detecting techniques, we can sometimes see moments in time and deduce exactly what happened. It’s a little like solving a crime from 66 million years ago, and, in this case, the crime was the asteroid that killed the Read More...
The population of Ugandan tree-climbing lions is growing
One of the only populations of Ishasha tree-climbing lions in the world resides in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP). Unfortunately, the population faces numerous threats such as loss of habitat, climate change, and illegal wildlife trade. The small group of lions only includes Read More...
Mexico’s tequila fish brought back from the brink of extinction
Mexico’s tiny tequila splitfin fish was once a common inhabitant in the country’s Teuchitlán river in the western part of the country. But due to the combined effects of water pollution, invasive fish species, and over-extraction of water resources, the small fish became extinct in the wild. Read More...
Rare white sperm whale spotted near Jamaica
A white sperm whale was recently spotted by sailors off the coast of Jamaica. This beautiful creature is normally grey, though this rarer form is famous for its depiction in the classic novel “Moby Dick." Why does the whale have a white color? These white giants lack color because of two Read More...
Amur tiger pawprints spotted in Russia for the first time in half a century
As reported by the state-run Russian News Agency TASS, an exciting discovery was made last week: the first sighting of Amur tiger pawprints in the northeast Siberian republic of Sakha for the first time in half a century. Russia’s forest protection service spotted the pawprints along the right Read More...
Bowhead whale populations have rebounded after near extinction
We shared a story in November about the remarkable return of Antarctic Blue Whales in the waters around South Georgia after a decades-long hiatus. In more good news for whales, marine scientists are reporting that bowhead whale populations have rebounded to near pre-commercial whaling numbers in US Read More...
New Guinea singing dogs not extinct in the wild, as previously thought
For years, zoologists have assumed that the New Guinea singing dog is extinct in the wild. That assumption has been proven wrong after an analysis of the DNA of three wild dogs living 14,000 feet high on the island matched the DNA of captive New Guinea singing dogs. If you aren’t familiar with Read More...
A previously extinct bird species has re-evolved itself back from the dead
A once-extinct species of bird has re-evolved back into existence and returned to the island it once colonized thousands of years ago. The Aldabra white-throated rail was reportedly wiped out around 136,000 years ago when the island it called home submerged under the ocean due to rising sea Read More...