The pygmy long-fingered possum and ring-tailed glider were dead to begin with. It’s incredibly important that we establish this fact, or else what I’m about to reveal won’t appear half as amazing as it actually is. In fact, these marsupials were dead for at least 6000 years. Or so we thought. In an unprecedented turn of events, researchers have rediscovered not one but two thought-to-be-extinct mammals, a feat that has an almost-zero chance of occurring. Both species are now part of the elite Lazarus taxa, which includes all animals that disappeared from the fossil record but were later found alive. The two marsupials, recently found in New Guinea, were thought to have disappeared during the ice age. But what do we already know about these unexpected survivors?
Animals that have been declared extinct often stay that way. For species to be declared extinct, scientists must carry out comprehensive surveys over the animal’s entire known habitat, including historic sites. These surveys must be carried out long enough to span the animal’s known life and reproductive cycle, to ensure that sightings are not missed at any point. The IUCN gathers extensive data from a plethora of sources to determine that a species has died out before declaring it extinct. The species status is then evaluated every 5-10 years after the year of declared extinction. Basically, we don’t say something is gone for good unless we are as sure as we possibly can be that that is, in fact, true. So how have these creatures remained hidden for so long? Possible reasons for this include the animal’s nocturnal nature, remote habitat, and misidentification.
These newly rediscovered marsupials are as interesting as they are elusive. As suggested by their name, the pygmy long-fingered possum is best known for its digits. Their fourth fingers can be up to twice as long as their other fingers. Aye-ayes have a similar adaptation, and their long fingers are used as tools to tap on wood and extract larvae from trees as a specialised feeding mechanism. These marsupials are also remarkably small, weighing just 200g. Fossil records suggest that the possums inhabited Queensland, Australia, before they vanished.
Ring-tailed gliders are well-known for their unique appearance and behaviours. Unlike other gliders, this rediscovered animal has a prehensile tail which is strong enough to grip branches and acts as a fifth limb. Additionally, they are monogamous and form lifetime pairs, a rare behaviour in mammals. Like their other hidden buddy, these gliders are also very small, weighing up to 300g. These elusive marsupials are also considered sacred in some local communities, such as the Tambrauw and Maybrat clans, who believe that they are manifestations of ancestors.
As well as being an amazing discovery and a cool, fun fact, the reappearance of these marsupials holds many interesting implications. Their presence in the Vogelkop Peninsula provides further evidence for the geological theory that West Papua was part of Oceania before tectonic movement shifted it to New Guinea. Additionally, it suggests that New Guinea’s forests are likely biodiversity hotspots home to lots of species waiting to be discovered. On top of this, the identification and discovery of these animals depended heavily on the knowledge of the Tambrauw and Maybrat elders, making this a great example of the importance of including indigenous and traditional communities in modern science. Now that these species have been found alive, it’s crucial that we keep them that way, something that will be much harder without the extensive knowledge that the Tambrauw and Maybrat elders already hold.
The rediscovery of two previously ‘extinct’ animals is some of the best news 2026 has brought us so far. With biodiversity decline occurring at record rates, finding two new species alive and well is definitely a small win that should be celebrated.
