Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
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The desert rat-kangaroo, declared extinct in 1994, may still be alive in Australia’s vast Outback. New research suggests it could be lurking in remote desert regions.
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Once thought lost in the 19th century, this marsupial was rediscovered in the 1930s—only to vanish again. Now, experts believe it could stage another comeback.
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Researchers found that the desert rat-kangaroo’s skull isn’t built for hard foods—it likely fed on soft plants, narrowing down where conservationists should search.
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Armed with this new insight, scientists plan to focus on regions where soft-leaved plants thrive, raising hopes that small populations could still be out there.
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Foxes, feral cats, and invasive rabbits may have driven this species to the brink, but the sheer remoteness of the Outback could have saved a hidden few.
Reports of small, hopping creatures in the Lake Eyre Basin continue to surface, but no proof exists—yet. Could the desert rat-kangaroo still be eluding discovery?
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This species has returned from extinction before. Scientists believe that if any survive, targeted searches could bring the desert rat-kangaroo back again.
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Lead researchers argue that refining search efforts based on diet and habitat could finally confirm whether this long-lost marsupial still hops across the desert sands.
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With fresh clues, scientists are now preparing a new search. If the desert v still exists, this could be one of the greatest rediscoveries in conservation history.