Scientists have confirmed the survival of two marsupial species long believed extinct, thanks to assistance from Indigenous communities in Indonesia. The ring-tailed glider and pygmy long-fingered possum were discovered in Papua's Vogelkop peninsula. Their habitats, however, face serious threats from logging.
In a remarkable rediscovery, researchers have documented the ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis) and the pygmy long-fingered possum (Dactylonax kambuayai), species previously known only from fossils dating back at least 6000 years. These animals, relatives of Australian gliders and possums, were photographed alive in the Vogelkop peninsula of Papua, Indonesia, following years of investigation involving local sightings, re-examination of museum specimens, and analysis of sub-fossil remains.
Tim Flannery of the Australian Museum in Sydney led the effort, noting that collaboration with Indigenous communities was crucial. Some of these communities view the glider as sacred and protect it, which may explain why it evaded scientific detection until now. Flannery described the glider as “one of the most photogenic animals, most beautiful marsupials you’ll ever see.” Distinct from Australia's greater gliders, it features a prehensile tail and unfurred ears, warranting its own genus, Tous.
The pygmy possum stands out with its striped fur and an elongated finger on each hand, twice the length of the others. Flannery explained adaptations in its ear region for detecting low-frequency sounds, likely to locate wood-boring beetle larvae, which it extracts using the specialized finger from rotting wood.
Fossil evidence traces the Tous genus to 3-million-to-4-million-year-old teeth in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia, with a gap until 280,000-year-old remains in Queensland, where it appears to have been common. The smallest fossil species matches the living Tous found in West Papua, according to Scott Hucknull of Central Queensland University, who called the finds “more important than finding a living thylacine in Tasmania.” He emphasized the pygmy possum's unique ecological niche, fitting in the palm of a hand.
Despite the excitement, conservation challenges loom large. Little is known about the species' ranges and needs, and logging threatens their forests. David Lindenmayer of the Australian National University hailed the discoveries as “fascinating and important” but expressed concern over deforestation in New Guinea and potential losses in Australia from similar land clearing. To protect them from wildlife traders, exact locations remain undisclosed; Flannery warned that their specialized diets make them unsuitable for captivity.
