Sometimes, nature delivers a surprise that feels almost miraculous. Scientists have confirmed that two small marsupial species — the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider — are still alive in New Guinea, despite being previously believed to have vanished from the Earth more than 7,000 years ago.
The discovery, years in the making, was announced March 5, 2026 by The Bishop Museum in Honolulu. The museum stated that both species had previously been known only from fossil evidence and had not been confirmed alive for more than 7,000 years.
The confirmation was made possible through an unusual collaboration — one that brought together museum scientists, Indigenous communities and an everyday citizen scientist armed with a camera.
What Are ‘Lazarus Species’?The two marsupials are now classified as “Lazarus species,” a scientific term used for organisms that reappear after having been thought extinct. The term evokes the story of a figure raised from the dead, and in this case, the label fits: scientists had no confirmed evidence that either animal had existed for thousands of years.
“The discovery of two Lazarus species, thought to be extinct for millennia, is unprecedented,” Dr. Tim Flannery of the Australian Museum said in a news release.
The 2 Species’ Trail Began With Fossils in the 1990sThe story of these two species stretches back decades. The animals were first identified through fossils by Dr. Ken Aplin in the 1990s, after teeth belonging to the species were excavated during an archaeological dig in western New Guinea. At the time, the fossil record was all that existed — there were no known living examples of either creature, and both were presumed to have died out thousands of years ago.
That classification stood for years — until new evidence began to surface.
Dr. Kristofer Helgen of the Bishop Museum later identified one of the species after seeing a photograph of a gliding ring-tailed possum in the wild. Helgen recognized the animal in the image as one of the species Aplin had previously classified as extinct. That single photograph helped set a broader investigation into motion.
Helgen and Flannery conducted research over the past two years to confirm that both species are, in fact, still alive in New Guinea. Their work drew on several different forms of evidence.
One key piece of the puzzle came from the University of Papua New Guinea, where researchers discovered two preserved specimens of the pygmy long-fingered possum stored in a jar. Those specimens provided physical evidence that the species had survived more recently than the fossil record had suggested.
Additional confirmation of the pygmy long-fingered possum’s survival came from an unexpected source: citizen scientist Carlos Bocos, who posted photographs of the animal on the biodiversity platform iNaturalist. The images proved significant enough that Bocos later became a co-author on the study documenting the species’ survival — a testament to how contributions from non-professional scientists can reshape scientific understanding.
For the scientists involved, the discovery carries emotional weight that extends beyond the laboratory.
“To be able to say that they indeed are alive brings me joy as a scientist and conservationist. It feels like a second chance to learn about, and protect, these remarkable animals,” Helgen said in a news release.
Helgen also said the rediscovery demonstrates that “extinction can be averted,” adding, “It’s a message of hope, one of second chances.”
