In a break from the monotony of doom and gloom in the news, scientists have made a “startling” discovery – a bird called the Lord Howe Island stick insect, also known as the “tree lobster,” has been found alive and well at an Australian resort. The species was believed to be extinct, which is why this discovery is “remarkable” news.
The story of the Lord Howe Island stick insect, which is a relative of the dodo, is one that harks back to a simpler time, when humans didn’t have to worry about climate change, the economy, or pandemics. In the early 20th century, the insect was thought to have been wiped out after a shipwreck brought rats to the island where it lived. But in 2001, a small colony of the insects was found on a rocky islet near the main island.
Now, 19 years later, a researcher who specializes in invertebrates stumbled upon a few of these precious creatures while on vacation at a resort on Australia’s Lord Howe Island, which is more than 900 miles away from the insects’ original habitat. The discovery was a happy accident, as the researcher was simply on her way to the bathroom when she noticed a tree branch moving in an unusual way.
After closer inspection, the researcher discovered that the movement was caused by the Lord Howe Island stick insect, which was lazing around on a tree branch. The researcher, who has studied the insect for more than a decade, was thrilled to find that the insect still existed outside of its natural habitat.
The discovery has been met with a mix of excitement and disbelief from scientists around the world, who are now clamoring to understand how the insect ended up so far away from home. Some have hypothesized that the insect may have hitched a ride on a boat or directly on a tourist, while others have proposed more fantastical theories involving magical teleportation or interdimensional portals.
Whatever the explanation may be, one thing is clear: the Lord Howe Island stick insect is a tough little bugger. The fact that it has survived a shipwreck, rat infestation, and a move to an unfamiliar environment is a testament to its resilience and adaptability. While humans struggle to keep up with the ever-changing world around them, the Lord Howe Island stick insect is thriving in spite of it all.
So here’s to the “tree lobster” – may it continue to surprise us and remind us that life, inexplicably, finds a way.
