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Two Marsupials Believed Extinct for 6,000 Years Found Alive in Papua
Two marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years were confirmed alive through photos, fossils, and Indigenous knowledge; habitat loss threatens their survival, with over 25% of mammals vulnerable or endangered.
- On the Vogelkop Peninsula, researchers led by Tim Flannery at the Australian Museum in Sydney confirmed two marsupial species long thought extinct for at least 6,000 years are alive, keeping exact locations secret due to wildlife traders.
- Years of reanalysis and community reports led to discovery as local indigenous communities regarded the glider as sacred and researchers confirmed it after recent photographic proof.
- Field observations reveal the glider has a prehensile tail and unfurred ears, while the pygmy long-fingered possum uses its elongated finger to extract grubs, with fossils spanning 3-million-to-4-million years and 280,000 years ago.
- Conservationists warn that researchers say logging and land clearing threaten habitats, teams withhold site details to prevent wildlife traders’ targeting, and Flannery cautions against capturing the animals.
- Longer-Term, the discoveries reshape questions about the fossil record, while scientists say species' specialised diets and unknown ranges complicate conservation efforts amid collaboration with local indigenous communities.
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21 Articles
21 Articles
Two Long-Lost Animals Found in Remote Forests
Scientists didn't just find a "living fossil" in West Papua—they found two. In remote rainforests of New Guinea's West Papua region, researchers have confirmed living populations of a tiny striped marsupial called the pygmy long-fingered possum and a ring-tailed glider with a prehensile tail, both believed to have vanished...
·Miami, United States
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Both species were found in a remote rainforest.
·Finland
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Scientists find 2 marsupial species, thought to have gone extinct 6,000 years ago, living in the forests of New Guinea
The pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider, two marsupials believed to have died out thousands of years ago, are still alive in Papuan Indonesia.
·United States
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Marsupial species previously thought to be extinct have been discovered in Indonesia's rainforest. The find highlights the importance of this biodiverse habitat.
·Berlin, Germany
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources21
Leaning Left4Leaning Right2Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 33%
C 50%
R 17%
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