Also called the “land lobster”, the Lord Howe Island stick insect was believed to be extinct for many years until its rediscovery in 2001.

The species, which inhabits the small volcanic island of Lord Howe in the Tasman Sea northeast of Syndey, Australia, was found to be abundant in the island until 1918. At that time, a ship known as “Makembo” introduced black rats to the island which preyed on the giant stick insects. Reportedly, the Lord Howe Island stick insects became extinct after becoming the rats’ favourite meal.

A nearby island called “Balls Pyramid” was explored by a group of climbers in 1964. These climbers claimed to have seen corpses of the giant stick insects on rocks that appear to have died recently. They even took pictures of the corpses as evidence.

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