‘Lost Species’ Photographed for First Time in 55 Years

A “lost species” which has eluded documentation for more than half a century has been photographed for the first time in 55 years, the World Wildlife Fund (WFF) reported.

Tom Vierus, a photographer based in Fiji, was hiking in Papua New Guinea ’s Nakanai Mountains back in March when he captured a photo of the exceedingly rare New Britain Goshawk.

"I was on a scoping trip with WWF in Pomio [eastern New Britain], with three members of the local community guiding us through the forest, so we could better understand the presence of species," Vierus explained. "I photographed several bird species, including the New Britain Goshawk, but wasn't aware of the significance at the time," he admitted.

The Red List of Endangered Species classifies the New Britain Goshawk as a vulnerable species, which is just short of endangered . As of 2016, the species numbered between 2,500–9,999 "mature individuals."

According to John Mittermeier, the director of the Search for Lost Birds at American Bird Conservancy, the New Britain Goshawk hasn’t been documented since 1969. But those documents do not include photos, making Vierus’ one of “the first-ever of this ‘lost species.’” Mittermeier marveled at how the bird "eluded photo, sound, and specimen documentation for 55 years.”

After the Goshawk’s recent sighting, the government of Papua New Guinea asked WWF to ramp up their conservation efforts in the region. "It is wonderful to see how conservation photography can help in safeguarding areas by documenting the existing biodiversity, Vierus said, noting that it’s also “a good reminder of how important visual storytelling is."