Forrest Galante With The Caiman He Caught Wide Shot

EXTINCT OR ALIVE 2

Forrest Galante With The Caiman He Caught Wide Shot

Believed-Extinct Rio Apaporis Caiman Rediscovered

By: Thom Fusco

The believed-extinct Rio Apaporis caiman (Caiman crocodilus apaporiensis) has been captured by Forrest Galante, wildlife biologist and host of Animal Planet’s EXTINCT OR ALIVE, and team, making history once again.

The caiman species, native to the FARC rebel-controlled Colombian Amazon rainforest, is a crocodilian that has been believed to be extinct since the 1980s. With a unique elongated snout and light-yellow skin, this crocodilian looks unlike any other in the world.

Galante and his dedicated crew embarked on a journey into the heart of a drug-controlled jungle, through harsh and lawless lands in hope of finding the Rio Apaprois caiman. “It’s a bizarre circumstance to be in a place where guerilla warfare has resulted in the protection of an ecosystem,” Galante remarked. Thanks to careful planning, great timing, and relentless perseverance, the team became the first westerners in over 30 years to set foot in this land and come back alive.

“Finding not just one, but a thriving population of Rio Apaporis caiman, in an area that we we’re told was completely inaccessible to westerners—going against the odds and danger after years of research and planning—was a flurry of emotions, the strongest of which was massive excitement followed by sincere encouragement,” Galante said.

Galante collected a number of genetic samples from living Rio Apaporis caimans on the expedition. Analysis of the samples, confirmed that the caiman Galante and team discovered are, in fact, the Rio Apaporis caiman.

The data not only confirmed the caiman’s identity, but it also met the criteria to describe a whole new species that has a unique evolutionary lineage dating back up to 7 million years.

A Colombian scientist named Sergio Balaguera-Reina has also discovered the caiman and published a paper on it this year. “The ongoing conservation work by an in-country scientist like Sergio is the best news of all,” Galante added.

See Galante and team make this massive discovery on EXTINCT OR ALIVE, airing on December 4 at 9P on Animal Planet or Animal Planet GO.

Next Up

Year in Review: Nature in Focus Adventures

For many years I've looked back on the year in review and thought about all of the incredible adventures I've experienced and this year is no exception.

The Oldest Complete Fish Fossil was Discovered Thanks to Kung Fu

Back in 2019, three Chinese paleontologists were playfighting during a break from working in the Chongqing Province, China. One was kung-fu kicked into a rocky outcrop, causing rubble to tumble down and exposing an opening in the rock face. Inside, a spectacular fossil lay undisturbed, preserved for millions of years.

Photographing Sequoia National Park with a Smartphone

As a photographer, I love giving myself technical limitations.

Great Migrations

Brrrrr it’s getting cold out, the days are shorter and soon it’ll be winter! Fall means that more than 4 billion birds will stream overhead on their fall migration to warmer grounds down south, where they will feed and mate.

Exploring Miniature Worlds

Expansive landscape photographs are my passion, but they are only part of the story. To truly capture the natural world, sometimes simplifying to the smallest details can transform your creative opportunities.

Fishermen and Scientist Develop Rope-less Gear to Save Whales

Fishermen are testing alternative rope-less gear in order to help an effort to save the critically endangered whale species.

5 Things You Didn't Know Climate Change Could Do

Climate change has some complex effects that you may not even realize exist. Read on to learn more.

If A Bat Were To Bite You In Your Sleep, You'd Probably Never Know

Rabies is rare, but most cases are associated with bats.

How Frogs Boost Their Sex Appeal

Male frogs form ‘boy bands’ to serenade females and woo them into their mating pool.

What Fat Bears and Astronauts Have in Common

The mysteries around hibernating bears have intrigued curious children and researchers alike for ages. What is hibernation, what causes it and aren’t bears too big to truly hibernate? And probably most interestingly - could humans do this someday?