After thinking the New Guinea highland wild dog had gone extinct in its native habitat, researchers have now confirmed the existence of a healthy, viable population, hidden on the island in one of the most remote and inhospitable regions on Earth. According to DNA analysis, these are the most ancient and primitive canids (dogs) in existence. “The discovery and confirmation of the highland wild dog for the first time in over half a century is not only exciting, but an incredible opportunity for science,” says the group behind the discovery, the New Guinea Highland Wild Dog Foundation.

This article appears in the January 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.