Scientists found 21 animals of “lost species” in the jungles of Madagascar
Scientists fear that some of them may have become extinct, because forests are being cut down on a massive scale in Madagascar.
During an expedition to the Makira Natural Park in Madagascar, scientists discovered 21 animals that were considered “lost species”. Among them was a giant dark brown centipede that had not been documented for 126 years, informs CNN.
The expedition took place in the fall of 2023, but only now did the members of the Re organization share their findings. The goal of the conservation organization is to discover species that have not been seen in Madagascar for at least 10 years.
Christina Biggs, Re’s Endangered Species Specialist, spotted a giant centipede near her tent one morning.
“I filmed it for a while, thinking it was cool, having no idea that it was actually a lost species. It wasn’t until Dmytro Telnov, a beetle specialist at the London Natural History Museum, sent the footage to a German colleague that we found out that the species wasn’t documented since 1897”, – said Biggs.
The team was surprised to find that the millipede was quite common in the rainforest, despite the lack of scientific data. “There are many reasons why a species may go undocumented or be considered ‘lost’ for decades: disease, pollution, catastrophic weather, human-wildlife conflict. But sometimes it’s simply because people haven’t looked for it or are less interested because it bland and not cute,” Biggs added.
Among the other 20 rediscovered species were jumping spiders, ant-like flower beetles and three species of fish. The team also documented new species never before recorded in Makira, such as the zebra spider. usually focusing on one or two species on a single expedition. However, because of the great biodiversity in Madagascar, scientists decided to study more animals.
Not all species could be found. These include Masoala Forked Lemur, Calumma vatososa Chameleon, Dusky Tetraca and Small Yellow Songbird. Scientists fear that some of them could have died out, because forests are being cut down on a massive scale in Madagascar – about 80% of the natural areas have now been lost.
Although Makira Park remains relatively intact, the team found evidence of illegal mining, homesteads and rice paddies within the protected area. Scientists have also found several invasive species, such as mosquitoes, black rats and land snails, which may pose a threat to local wildlife.
