There may be many more “extinct” animals waiting to be rediscovered than conservation biologists previously thought. Categorizing an animal species as extinct has rested upon two criteria: It has not been seen for more than 50 years, or an exhaustive research has come up empty. But “extinct” animals occasionally turn up again, and some species have disappeared more than once.
1. Tasmanian Tiger
This tiger has been extinct for a long time, and it has been so because of its habitat loss and hunting. They have been chasing and killing the livestock, so they were driven out and hunted. They eventually got officially extinct in Tasmania in 1936. Unfortunately, conservation efforts had come too late. The largest marsupial carnivore in the world, the thylacine was commonly known as the "Tasmanian tiger", because of its stripes on its back. In spite of its fierce reputation, the tiger was semi-nocturnal and was described as really shy, usually avoiding contact with people. The fossilized remains of these animals have been found in Papua New Guinea, Tasmania and throughout the Australian mainland. But apparently the tiger was seen by many people, and most of these encounters were reported in Australia where these tigers have been extinct since the 1800s.
2. The Japanese Wolf
But despite the official announcements, there have been sightings of these wolves every other decade or so. This led many people to believe that might not be extinct anymore.
3. Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin)
These are the dolphins that only live in the Yangtze river in China, but their species were soon driven to extinction after the Chinese government built a dam and boat traffic started to increase. The Baiji Dolphin is one of the 4 species that live in freshwater. The Baiji preyed on fish of various sizes and species, including both surface and bottom feeders. These dolphins don’t have a much diversified habitat which is why it is so important to do all that we can to help other freshwater dolphins and ensure their survival. It was a sad story for the river dolphins, and they were declared officially extinct in 2006. After that, many people have tried, but only a single sighting was reported and a massive expedition.
4. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
This beautiful, large bird, if not extinct, has been hiding very well since the 1940s, when the last pair of these birds was seen and documented. The ivory-billed woodpecker once lived in swampy forests through lower Mississippi valley states: from North Carolina to Florida and west to eastern Texas and Arkansas, with some reports in Missouri, Oklahoma and Kentucky. This is a very on and off story and had made many people to believe that it may have been still flying today. It was because of an incident in 1920 wherein it was declared extinct but was seen in the 1940s. It was then presumed extinct in the 1950s, but there are still reports of sightings of the bird. Until scientists are sure, they can never declare the extinction of the bird again.
5. Eastern Cougar
This animal has been declared extinct only recently in 2011. There are many reasons for why the eastern cougar died off, mostly they were over-hunted and lost their territory. The number of eastern cougar first started to drop in the 19th century, after Europeans came and killed these animals to protect their livestock. Heavy deforestation also limited the territory of these animals and drove off the cat’s main prey: white-tailed deer. Since 1970, 120 sightings have been identified as possible cougar, but none of them have been officially confirmed. But despite all this, there are still evidences that prove that the cougars are still living in the surface and provide us footprints, scat, fur, and all the things that a non-extinct animal will be having.
6. Japanese River Otter
These river otters have been common animals in Japan until the 1930s, but when 1970s came, they have become rare. The Japanese river otter was a common animal up until modern times, and it could even be spotted in the waters around Tokyo. The number of otters shrank because growth of human population contributed to habitat destruction and pollution of the waters they depended on to survive. But, the largest contributor to their extinction was likely hunting. They were declared to be extinct recently in 2012, and it has taken a year before they were spotted again. There were a lot of sightings but none are still official and not many scientists believe the reports since the river otters are seen in polluted waters where it shouldn’t be.
7. Javan Tiger
This tiger can only be found in the island of Java in Indonesia, and for a tiger who lives in an Island, he doesn’t have many choices. Javan tigers became extinct mainly because their natural habitats were destroyed and cultivated as a consequence of growing human population. They are carnivorous animals and hunt wild boar, rusa deer, banteng and sometimes on reptiles and even water fowls. No information is available about their life span, gestation period in nature or captivity. Javan tigers were captured officially back in the 1980s and after a thorough search in the 1990s, this species is soon declared extinct. But a year later, sightings have been seen all throughout the Javan forests and continued on until 2000s.
8. Coelacanth
This is a species of fish that has been thought to be extinct 65 million years ago, but apparently, they still live. The coelacanth (Latimeriachalumnae) is a ‘living fossil’ and was believed to have become extinct at the time of the dinosaurs until the first scientifically noted rediscovery in 1938, when a fisherman caught this creature in the coast of South Africa, and since then it has been common. Unlike any other living creature, coelacanths have a hinged joint in their skull, which allows the front part of the head to be lifted while feeding. The coelacanths also have limb-like, lobed pectoral and pelvic fins and a unique tail consisting of 3 distinct lobes. A further unique characteristic is receptors in the rostral organ of the head which allow them detect electric fields and may be used to locate their prey or monitor surroundings.
9. Moa
New research reveals that the moa population was fit and healthy before humans started hunting the bird. In spite of this, it took less than 200 years before the gigantic bird had died out. Moa were the dominant herbivore in the New Zealand ecosystem. There were 9 species of moa (in 6 subspecies) with the 2 largest species Dinornisnovaezelandiae and Dinornisrobustus reaching as tall about 12 feet, with necks extended, and weighing to 500 lbs. They were the only species of birds with no wings. Even though the moas have been extinct many years ago, their eggs and feathers can still be seen. If the moa does still roam the wilds of New Zealand, it lives in deepest forests and swamps where they have plenty of places to hide.
10. Megatherium
This is an animal that has been extinct for a very long time, which is approximately thousands of years ago. Apparently, the Megatherium, which is also known as the ground sloths, stands up about 20 ft tall and weighs 7 tons. Megatherium (or 'giant beast) lived from 34 mil to 11,000 years ago, and became extinct with the last Ice Age. Theories vary in the scientific world about the disappearance of these creatures. Among them is the suggestion that fast climate changes killed them, or that hunters that had crossed into Alaska killed them as a food source, when moving throughout North America. And apparently, there have been sightings of a monster called Mapinguari in South America that matches up with the Megatherium and researchers are more than happy to hear creepy stories.
11. Monito Del Monte
Okay, they are definitely and absolutely, cute. But despite their appearance, they have been hunted down and were thought to have been bringing bad luck. The Monitodel Monte is a remarkable, diminutive marsupial that was taught to have been extinct for 11 million years until one was discovered on a branch of Chilean bamboo in the southern Andes. The animal is more closely related to Australian than to other South American marsupials, and it is likely related to the earliest known Australian marsupial. These animals live in dense, humid forests in the mountains of southern Chile and Argentina. Monitos del monte primarily eats insects, feeding in the trees as well as on the ground, but these animals also consume vegetation, mostly bamboo.
12. Chacoan Peccary
This creature is also similar to a pig and can be found in these countries: Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. Chacoan peccaries mostly eat various species of cacti. To remove the spines from cacti, they either pull them off with their teeth or roll the cacti on the ground with their snout. Occasionally, they also munch on acacia pods, bromelain roots, or fallen cacti flowers. Even though they haven’t really done anything, they have been hunted for folklore. They have also been some reports of sightings of this creature, but none was official. Until 1971, the Chacoan peccary was thought to be extinct. No more than 3,000 currently exist in the world (all in zoos), so that makes them very rare and highly endangered.
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