In Bolivia, 20 years later, a fish that was considered extinct was discovered.

Scientists have confirmed the rediscovery of the rare seasonal killifish Moema claudiae in Bolivia, which has been considered extinct for more than 20 years. The discovery was a rare example of the successful return of a species against the background of a large-scale loss of natural habitats. This was reported on December 25 in the journal Science Daily.

The fish has not been observed for more than two decades after the destruction of its original habitat, which was transformed into agricultural land. Long-term searches did not bring results, and the species was included in the critically endangered list according to the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

During a field expedition, scientists Heinz Arnaud Dravert and Thomas Otto Litz discovered a live population of Moema claudiae in a small temporary reservoir hidden in a fragment of forest surrounded by agricultural land. This was the first confirmed case of registration of the species in more than 20 years.

The discovery made it possible for the first time to photograph fish in their natural habitat, as well as to obtain new data on their behavior and ecology. According to the researchers, previously these aspects remained virtually unexplored due to the lack of observations of live individuals. The additional significance of the discovery lies in the fact that scientists have identified six more species of seasonal killifish in the same reservoir. Thus, the site turned out to be the most genetically diverse cluster of such fish ever recorded in the world.

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The researchers emphasize the need for urgent measures to protect the territory. To date, the discovered reservoir remains the only known habitat of Moema claudiae in the wild. At the same time, over the past 25 years, Bolivia has lost about 10 million hectares of forests, including valuable wetlands, and the rate of deforestation continues to increase.

Scientists warn that without operational restrictions on the expansion of agricultural territories, the region risks losing its unique ecosystems and associated natural resources, which are key to sustainable development.

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