• Scientists have rediscovered the Typhloperipatus williamsoni, a velvet worm species believed extinct for over 100 years, in the Eastern Himalayas' Siang Valley after a thorough exploration from 2021 to 2023.
• This rediscovery, based on physical characteristics and genetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA, confirms its identity and reveals its close relationship to Southeast Asian velvet worms, filling a significant gap in our understanding of velvet worm evolution.
• While this finding is a scientific triumph, it also highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect the threatened habitat of this 'living fossil' from agriculture, deforestation, and unsustainable farming practices.