Imagine thinking something vanished 6,000 years ago, only for it to pop up again. That's exactly what happened with two tiny marsupials in the rainforests of Indonesian Papua.
Scientists only knew about these creatures from ancient bones. They'd been gone so long, they earned the nickname "Lazarus species." But now, the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider are officially back among the living.
In 2023, a team of researchers and local Indigenous experts worked together to find them. They actually snapped photos of the long-fingered possum. It's about the size of your palm, striped, and has one front finger that's twice as long as the others. Seriously cool.
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Start Your News DetoxThen there's the glider, called "Tous" by locals. It's a squirrel-sized possum that lives in trees. Big eyes, a tail that can grip, and a clever membrane that lets it glide through the forest. Pretty wild, right?
Tim Flannery, a biologist, described seeing the first picture of the glider like traveling back in time. It's a rare glimpse into a past we thought was gone forever. These little guys were even rare 6,000 years ago, making their rediscovery even more special. It just shows what hidden wonders are still out there, waiting to be found.
