Natural History Wanderings

• Researchers compiled a database showing the number of lost species is increasing faster than rediscovered species: since 1800, more than 800 amphibian, bird, mammal and reptile species have not seen by scientists in at least a decade.
• Reptiles as well as small, nocturnal or underground species tend to stay lost longer than larger, more widespread mammals and birds.
• Once found, many lost species remain threatened with extinction as their populations are often small and fragmented due to habitat loss.
• New technologies like camera traps and environmental DNA are aiding rediscovery efforts, but the involvement of local communities is also key to finding lost species.

Read more We’re losing species faster than we can find them, study shows