Back From the Brink

Dryococelus australis

The Tree Lobster, or Lord Howe Island Phasmid (amazing name) could be the rarest insect in the world. This 8 inch long stick bug was thought to be extinct for over 80 years, until a tiny remnant population of just 24 phasmids was found on a desolate looking sea stack. Captive breeding has brought the worldwide population up to several thousand, with efforts to reintroduce them to Lord Howe Island (between New Zealand and Australia) after efforts to erradicate the invasive rats that likely caused their demise. 

Acipenseridae

Big, ancient, and delightfully goofy. Stay tuned!

Alligator mississippiensis

I was originally gonna do the alligator, but I realized with horror I haven't given our snake friends any love. 

Gymnogyps californianus

In 1985, only 9 condors remained in the wild. The controversial decision to capture these individuals in a last ditch effort to restore their population was a gamble that paid off. Now, roughly 200 wild birds soar above the American West. While still one of the rarest birds in the world, their population continues to climb through captive breeding programs and conservation efforts.

Bison bison

Once numbering in the tens of millions, bison were hunted to near extinction as part of a strategic campaign to genocide Native Americans by eliminating the herds that tribes relied on. Their population dwindled to a few hundred individuals before policies shifted toward recovery. Still a fraction of their original population, there are now tens of thousands of wild bison roaming the American West, and even more on commercial ranches. 

Mirounga angustirostris

This species was once considered extinct until a small island population of a 8 individuals was discovered. In a truly epic move, the team that discovered them proceeded to shoot all but one, cuz ya know. Gotta get those specimens! Luckily, a few dozen slipped past us, and once the US and Mexico agreed to stop killing them, they've bounced back in a truly remarkable comeback story. There are now an estimated 200,000 snorting around!