60 Extinct Animals Caught ALIVE On Camera!

Many creatures have come and gone over this planet's lifespan, but what happens when one of these animals returns from extinction? From Jurassic birds found flying millions of years after extinction to ancient sharks on the ocean floor, 60 animals fought against all odds and were caught alive on camera. The black-naped pheasant pigeon went extinct over 140 years ago, but in 2022, researchers got a whiff of a potential sighting at Ferguson Island in Papua New Guinea. An expedition was sent to the island to find the fabled bird and lo, and behold, they did it. The black-naped pheasant pigeon was officially back from extinction. Pterosaurs lived alongside dinosaurs and went extinct over 65 million years ago, yet in 2022 reports started floating about a potential sighting near Idaho. The person recording couldn't believe his eyes, an ancient flying creature in the flesh, flying right above him. What made this believable was that it looked nothing like any other bird. In April 2015, ornithologist Dr. Steve Murphy went on the hunt for a bird that hadn't been seen in 100 years, the night parrot. The night parrot is one of the three species of ground parrots, and after studying it, Dr. Murphy not only captured it, but also released it back into the wild. White bison, especially ones without albinism, are some of the rarest animals on the planet, so much so that there's only one for a million normal bison. But in 2023, people at Wyoming State Park witnessed not one but two of them grazing together. Albino alligators are already rare, but this one is even rarer because it's white without albinism. Instead, this beast gets its color because of a genetic condition that gives them blue eyes. What makes this big guy special, though, is that there are only two other blue-eyed white alligators in the world. The following footage comes from Kaia Park in Bolivia, where tourists stumbled upon something truly mind-blowing, two Chacoan peccaries. It's easy to mistake it for a wild hog, but the Chacoan peccary is one of the rarest mammals on the planet, so you'd be lucky to see one or two in your lifetime. The mottled bichir is a fish found in the central basin of the Congo River. While they may not be super rare in their natural form, this one is most certainly. What you're witnessing is one of the rarest fish, possibly the only albino-mottled bichir in the world, which makes its situation in a pet shop that much sadder. Named after the German zoologist Alfred Volzkow, the Volzkow's chameleon was last seen over a hundred years ago, but in 2018, everything changed. Not only did scientists rediscover the long-forgotten chameleon, but they also managed to find a female specimen that had never been spotted before, even when they were initially discovered. In 2020, lobster fisherman A.J. Francis caught an albino lobster in Pictou Landing, Nova Scotia, one of the rarest things you could catch. These lobsters get their color because of a genetic condition, and they're so rare that if you caught a million, you'd only get one albino lobster in the pile. There is a population of tigers in eastern India with zero connectivity with other tiger reserves, which led to inbreeding and gave rise to a new type of tiger, the black tiger. There are only 10 black tigers in the world, exclusive to India, and they get their unique pigment from a single mutation. Finding a rare animal in the wild is one thing, still sometimes you stumble upon something that's not even believable, and that's exactly what these folks are experiencing because they've just spotted a mythical creature in the lake. The big creature floats menacingly just under the water's surface. While it looks like a big hunk of metal, people believe this is the legendary Loch Ness monster. In 2022, wildlife experts in Queensland, Australia stumbled upon one of the rarest animals in the wild, a white backrider koala. But here's the catch, this little guy did not have albinism. The white color is dangerous for a koa because it makes it more visible to predators. That said, since this isn't an albino koala, it'll return to its gray color as it ages. A regular cheetah's coat is covered with small spots, but this is no ordinary cheetah. It's a rare king cheetah because it has a mutation that results in irregular blotches and black stripes on its back. These majestic beasts are so rare that only 10 are in the wild and another 50 are in captivity. The following footage comes from camera traps set up on a remote island in West Papua where researchers managed to spot one of the most elusive bird species in Indonesia, the Waijeo brush turkey. Not only is this bird rare, but its conditions are getting worse. So much so that recently this brush turkey's status was changed to an endangered species. A praying mantis is already one of the most fascinating creatures in the world. But what if someone told you there's a rare pink and white species of these creatures? Also known as the orchid mantis, this incredible creature is found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia and can change its color to pink or purple to blend in with the flowers. In 2021, a Russian zoo stole headlines worldwide because of the birth of a rare snow-white albino wallaby. Born about 800 kilometers from Moscow, this wallaby was a miracle in the flesh because only 1 in 100,000 wallabies exhibit the genetic trait of albinism. Speaking of rare albino animals, this is an albino elephant in the wild, but it's different. Most albino elephants don't have pigment on their skin, yet this baby elephant has developed its gray color while keeping other albino elements like its white eyes and pink legs. Blue lobsters are extremely rare, so much so that the odds of catching one are 1 in 200 million. But while that's already impressive, this one's even more special. Unlike other blue lobsters, this incredible creature is completely blue. Usually, a lobster this blue is selectively bred in aquariums, so it's almost impossible to find one naturally existing in the wild. The following footage comes from the Philippines, where a tourist has stumbled upon a rare male calico cat. Most calico cats are born female and only 1 in 3,000 is male due to a genetic anomaly that gives them an extra X chromosome. That said, this condition does, unfortunately, come with health issues. Continuing the trend of rare males, this white peacock is a marvel of nature because it's technically not albino. These birds get their white color due to a genetic mutation that stops melanin from being deposited in their feathers. However, this does not impact their eye color. The animal you're seeing has been extinct for almost 100 years and it's not a dog or a wolf. No, this is the last Tasmanian tiger in existence. This incredible creature, the last of its kind, died in 1936 and this colorized footage is all we have from its time in captivity. Scientists are trying to clone this beast and bring it back to life. The following footage comes from Australia, where a rare albino crow was spotted. This crow is particularly rare because there's only one for every 1,000 regular crows. Albino crows lack melanin, which results in white feathers and pink eyes. Even their beaks and legs are pale, which makes them fascinating to look at. In August 2017, passengers on the Ocean Freedom ship witnessed something truly mind-blowing, an all-white humpback whale coming to the surface to see them. Migaloo was the first white whale sighted in 1991 off the coast of Australia, and it's only one of the two that migrate up the east coast of Australia from Antarctica every year. In 2011, people in Toronto called Wildlife Control to deal with raccoons causing mayhem around their houses. But when the experts arrived, they realized they were not dealing with ordinary raccoons. There it was, an albino raccoon. Wow, look at that. So this guy was sitting in the corner, and then his brother or sister, this big one... Albino raccoons are already rare, but seeing them in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so much so that you're 50 times more likely to be struck by lightning. ...raccoons, and his litter mates are albino. So we're looking at six-week-old... You're seeing a Kermode bear, also known as the spirit bear. A rare and elusive subspecies of the black bear with recessive genes. These bears are extremely rare. They are mostly found in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Estimates state that there are only about 500 of them in existence. The following footage comes from Rock City, Georgia, home to the only albino barred owl in the United States. And a very unusual one, very rare indeed. In fact, he's an albino barred owl. Like most albino animals, this owl has no pigmentation and pink eyes. They're also visible to predators, making it difficult for them to survive in the wild. In October 2021, people at a Spanish animal reserve witnessed a miracle. The birth of two white African lion cubs. Despite their white appearance, these cubs are not albino. Instead, they are a genetic rarity of the greater Timbavati area in South Africa's Kruger National Park. If white lions were amazing, what about white bats? This is an albino bat, which is exceptionally rare in the wild. In fact, only 4% of the 1,300 bat species exhibit albinism. An albino bat's white skin leaves it vulnerable to damage from unfiltered sunlight. So these little guys must stay in the dark. Speaking of rare albino animals, here's a rare white kangaroo in a conservation park in Adelaide Hills, Australia, living comfortably amongst its peers. Life is challenging for these albino kangaroos though. Not only are they at an increased risk of sunburn and skin cancer, but they also stick out like a sore thumb in the wild. This may look like a strange seagull, but it's a white raven. But here's the most interesting bit about this bird. It's not albino. Instead, white ravens have leucism, which only results in the loss of pigmentation in their feathers. Other than that, these ravens are perfectly normal. You're looking at a purebred Doberman dog, except it's not like the other dogs. It has vitiligo, a rare skin disorder that produces spots on its fur. Humans have vitiligo, but a dog with this condition is particularly fascinating because only a few breeds are more susceptible to it. Much like other albino animals, an albino hedgehog is also one of the most mesmerizing creatures you could spot in the wild, especially with its white fur and bright red eyes. Although these creatures aren't rare in captivity, they are still hard to come by in the wild. Since these are nocturnal animals, their lives are much easier despite their bright color. Finding an albino animal in the wild is one thing, but what if you found a mythical creature that no one's ever seen? Well, that's exactly what happened to this person. Despite the shaky footage, one thing is clear. The animal in the distance is not a horse. People believe we've finally witnessed an actual unicorn in the wild. Blue gold macaws are already some of the most beautiful birds in the wild. But what if someone told you there's a rare mutation that turns them white and blue? Also known as the silver mutation, these macaws are a treat for the eyes and are produced by combining the blue and opaline mutations. In July 2023, people in Louisiana were on a fishing trip near the coast when they stumbled upon something truly mind-blowing. A pink dolphin. Also known as the Amazon River Dolphin, these sea creatures are becoming increasingly rare due to pollution from mining activity that reaches the rivers. They're now classified as vulnerable in many areas. Red pandas are already considered an endangered species with their population declining by 40% over the past two decades, making this white one even more special. It's an albino red panda with white fur and red eyes, which is so rare that people believe only a few exist. In April 2019, zoologists spotted an all-white, bear-like creature at a nature reserve in China. Later, it became the only albino giant panda in the world. Since then, scientists have been working to study the incredible panda, which has been growing healthily and communicating with other pandas in the nature reserve. The following footage comes from a private aquarium in Goa, which houses one of the most fascinating sea creatures, a completely white turtle. Most turtles already have difficult lives in the ocean, so for a turtle with this genetic defect that makes it more visible to survive long enough to be saved is a miracle in and of itself. For every 100,000 snake births, only one is a two-headed snake, which is a 0.001% chance of existence. And this little guy was found naturally in India. What makes this snake particularly interesting is that despite having one body, it still has two brains because of its heads, both operating the body. Hummingbirds are already some of the most incredible birds in the wild, so to see one completely white has to be a one-in-a-lifetime experience. Only a few true albino hummingbirds have ever been spotted in the wild, and the same bird has never been spotted twice, possibly because their white feathers are far too visible to predators. The following footage comes from Taronga Zoo in Australia, home to the only pair of Barton's long-beaked echidnas in captivity. These are the rarest of the egg-laying mammals, so much so that they're listed as an endangered species. A black melanistic serval has been making waves in Tanzania. Only five of these have ever been seen in the wild in East Africa. The serval's color is due to a recessive gene that causes its golden-brown coat to go completely black. This helps the serval absorb more solar radiation and warm up faster at higher altitudes. The following footage comes from Awashima, Japan, where researchers stumbled upon a prehistoric creature that has remained the same for over 80 million years. Called the frilled shark, this strange deep-sea creature is a distant cousin of other sharks, such as great whites and hammerheads, and has been swimming in the depths since dinosaurs. This may look like an ordinary cardinal to most people, but there's something very special about this particular bird, both a female and a male simultaneously. This cardinal has a rare condition that results in gender bilateral symmetry, with one side being male and the other being female. Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas is home to a golden tabby tiger, an extremely rare color variation caused by a recessive gene only found in captive tigers. While not a separate species, golden tigers are some of the rarest big cats in the world, so much so that only about 30 exist. Speaking of genetic variations, this is an albino echidna with white skin, pink beaks, and red eyes. Even the spines of this little guy are white. Unlike other albino animals, though, these echidnas are exceptionally rare. Only a handful have ever been spotted in Australia. Found across the Sunda Islands of Indonesia, the blue pit viper is a miracle of nature with its stunning bright blue scales and red eyes, but that's not the only reason it's special. Only found in places like Komodo Island, these snakes are a subspecies of the green, white-lipped island pit vipers. Unlike other snakes, they remain blue their entire lives. Bermuda's national bird, the Bermuda petrel, was considered extinct for over 300 years, but everything changed in 1951. 18 nesting pairs of these birds were discovered and officially returned from extinction, making them one of the few Lazarus species in history. In May 2024, a driver in Alberta, Canada was amazed by one of the most majestic things he'd ever witnessed, a stunning white moose crossing the road right before him. The moose gets its white coating because of albinism, and seeing one this close in the wild is nothing short of a miracle. Speaking of rare albino animals, this is Alba, an albino orangutan that was rescued in 2017 and, after rehabilitation, sent back into the wild in 2019. Despite being the only albino orangutan in the world and being at risk due to her white color, Alba now lives freely in the wild. In September 2017, conservationists in Kenya stumbled upon something remarkable, a pair of white giraffes. Despite their color, however, these giraffes are not albino and have a genetic condition that inhibits pigmentation in skin cells, meaning everything apart from skin is perfectly normal. In May 2021, a golden monkey went viral on social media for its friendly nature, but that's not the only thing that makes this adorable creature unique. Estimates say only about 2,000 of these primates are in the wild, which is why they're so special and endangered. In 2014, the San Diego Zoo made headlines for rescuing a venomous white cobra and displaying it on its exhibit. Like the giraffes earlier, the cobra has the same genetic mutation that reduces pigmentation and makes it white rather than the species' usual brown and beige color. In 2019, people in Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve spotted something they'd never seen before, a zebra foal with a dark coat and white polka dots. Despite people claiming the zebra has the genetic condition pseudomelanism, many experts think Tit's unique coat only partially spots it. In 2019, a lodge manager at an Indian tiger reserve managed to take photos of one of the rarest mountain lions in the wild, an Indian black leopard. Despite their stealthy appearance, these animals are listed as endangered due to hunting and loss of habitat. In January 2023, divers off Japan's west coast had the encounter of a lifetime when they encountered a 2.5-meter giant squid. While giant squids are known to thrive near Japan's coast and occasionally wash ashore as well, spotting one in the wild is still very rare and special. These creatures may look like little rats, but they're Honduran white bats found only in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama. These bats only eat one fig species and can construct tents out of understory plant leaves. Moreover, the white fur is found in only six of the 1,300 known bat species. This may look like an ordinary whitetail deer in the wild, but there's one big difference. Its back is completely black. The deer gets its black color because of melanism and coexists with normal whitetails in the wild. You're more likely to find one in southern Texas than elsewhere. You're seeing a collection of some of the rarest ball python morphs, including the bumblebee ball python and the butterball python. One important distinction is that they all belong to the same species and have different colors and patterns. In July 2023, a group of hikers in South Carolina stumbled upon one of the rarest snakes, the rainbow snake. We're just hiking in this location that we just visited on a whim down in South Carolina, not too far from the Savannah River. This discovery was particularly special because these snakes are elusive and mostly aquatic, meaning you probably won't spot one in the wild. Usual and beautiful snakes in North America. It's got beautiful red and yellow lines. Check out this belly pattern. Look at that.