Three critically endangered insects called Lord Howe Island stick insects, also known as tree lobsters, have been hatched at the San Diego Zoo for the first time.
The species was thought to be extinct after 1920, when the last known wild tree lobsters were devoured by rats on their native Lord Howe Island, off the coast of Australia. However, in 2001, a small group of the stick insects was discovered on Ball's Pyramid, a remnant volcano in the Pacific Ocean near the island. After discovering the rare insect, four were taken to the Melbourne Zoo, where zookeepers have successfully hatched a number of the insects in an effort to bring them back from extinction.
Eggs were shipped to San Diego to establish a new, separate colony, according to the zoo. After incubating the eggs at 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), three nymphs emerged, which are now 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) long and light green.
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