Archey’s Frog

Amphibians > Primitive Frogs

Archey’s Frog (Leiopelma archeyi) is an extraordinary, primitive amphibian endemic exclusively to the misty mountaintops of New Zealand’s North Island. As a member of the ancient family Leiopelmatidae, this tiny, nocturnal ‘living fossil’ has...

Saint Lucia Racer

Reptiles > Snakes

The Saint Lucia Racer (Erythrolamprus ornatus), widely recognized by herpetologists as the rarest snake on planet Earth, is an elegant, non-venomous colubrid serpent native to the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. Adorned with a warm amber-brown dorsal ground color,...

Giant Pangasius

Fish > Catfishes

The Giant Pangasius (Pangasius sanitwongsei), reclassified by modern taxonomists and known locally in Thailand as ‘Pla Thepa,’ is a colossal, predatory freshwater shark catfish native to the massive river systems of mainland Southeast Asia. Capable of...

Araripe Manakin

Birds > Passerines

The Araripe Manakin (Antilophia bokermanni), affectionately celebrated in Brazil as the ‘Soldadinho-do-Araripe’ (Little Soldier of Araripe), is one of the most visually stunning and geographically restricted songbirds on Earth. Discovered as recently as...

Bengal Florican

Birds > Bustards

The Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) is an exceptionally rare, charismatic, and critically endangered grassland bustard native to the vanishing alluvial plains of South and Southeast Asia. Renowned for its spectacular, energetic breeding displays—during which...