A snake that has had biologists scratching their heads for over a century has been spotted in the wild for the first time in nearly three decades.
Three Berezowski's reed snakes were found in the mountains of Sichuan Province in China by researchers who scoured the area between 2017 and 2022.
They published their findings in the Zoosystematics and Evolution journal in July 2024, and The State detailed that the snakes were 1 foot long, with a yellow collar, blunt tail, and elongated body.
Those features matched a description of the creatures made in 1896 by Russian zoologist Michael Berezowski. But they weren't seen by other scientists in the following years, leading some to believe that its classification might have been an error.
Records suggest that a Berezowski's reed snake hadn't been officially encountered for 26 years, but it's likely been even longer since human eyes were cast on the elusive reptile.
The State detailed that finding the snakes has proved extremely difficult, with researchers describing that they have a "subterranean mode of life" and engage in "digging behavior and mysterious habits."
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They also live in remote mountain forests at elevations between 5,500 and 6,000 feet.
It's an exciting discovery, and it shows that even in difficult conditions — made even more challenging because of human-caused global heating — animals can show remarkable levels of resilience. Berezowski's reed snake has also proved its hide-and-seek skills are practically unmatched.
While research on this particular species is perhaps limited because of its impressive disappearing act, the snakes will likely play a key role in the mountain ecosystem. According to Save the Snakes, snakes generally help to maintain balance in the food web and can keep rodent populations under control.
Berezowki's reed snake is not the only creature to have made a welcome appearance after a prolonged absence. A Victorian grassland earless dragon was seen for the first time in Australia in over 50 years in June 2023, with scientists previously believing them to be extinct.
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Elsewhere, a Dusky Tetraka bird was seen in Madagascar for the first time in 24 years in December 2022.
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