World’s ‘Rarest Insect’ Makes Stunning Comeback After Near-Extinction : ScienceAlert
Only 20 to 30 'tree lobsters' remain in the wild. This single fragile population was rediscovered in 2001 after the insects were presumed extinct for 80 years.These wild Lord Howe Island stick insects (Dryococelus australis) currently cling to their precarious existence on a near-vertical volcanic outcrop called Ball's Pyramid.Now, San Diego Zoo is inviting visitors to see the extraordinary, extinction-defying Australian animals in person.Prone to catastrophic weather events and landslides, Ball's Pyramid is not exactly…