According to a recent press release by BirdLife International, the New Zealand Storm-petrel (Oceanites maorianus), not recorded for over 100 years and thought to be extinct, was recently rediscovered and photographed:

"The bird was fully measured, ringed, photographed and a feather sample taken before it was released and flew off strongly. The DNA analysis should help a settle controversy over the species’s precise taxonomic status: with some people unsure in which genus it is best placed." ~BirdLife International

News of this monumental rediscovery comes at a time when New Zealand's Government is proposing the closure of 1.2 million square kilometres of ocean habitat to bottom trawling and dredging. This action could further contribute to the protection of the critically endangered storm petrals and other species in the region.

Find out more: Exciting Times for New Zealand Seabirds (BirdLife International)