Surprise! Scientifically described in 1898—and last spotted in 1913—the red-crested tree rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis) was thought to be extinct for more than a century. That changed in 2011, when two observers in a Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta nature reserve in Colombia stumbled upon this critter. This long-whiskered rodent can grow up to 17 in (45.7 cm) long. It’s nocturnal and arboreal, though little is known about this species’ behavior. The red-crested tree rat is listed as Critically Endangered, due to loss of habitat.
Photo: ProAves Colombia, CC BY-SA 2.0, flickr

















