1.Transparent snail

This transparent snail was officially announced in 2014, however they have been found since 2010 in one of the most remote places on Earth. They live at a depth of 980 m underground, in the Lukina Jama-Trojama cave system in Croatia. Due to living in the absence of light, the snail named Zospeum tholussum is almost transparent and has no eyes.

2. Tiny Frog

Tiny frogs less than the size of a finger were discovered in the rainforests of New Guinea in 2012. It is the smallest vertebrate in the world today, with an average length of only 7.7 mm. They eat small invertebrates such as ticks, bugs, etc.

3. Olinguito raccoon

In 2013, a researcher noticed several decades-old specimens at the Chicago Field Museum. They are similar in appearance to the olingo – a carnivorous, mammalian animal belonging to the raccoon family – so people have confused and labeled the specimens as belonging to this species. However, after a closer look, the scientists noticed a difference.

So, a team of experts explored the forests of Ecudador and found this beautiful, adorable animal. They are considered the smallest of the raccoon family, named olinguito, from the Spanish word, meaning “little olingo”.

4. Red River Dolphins

In 2014, after passing a series of DNA tests, scientists officially announced the existence of the red river dolphin. They live mainly in the Araguaia River region of the Amazon.

5. Phuket horned iguana

This horned salamander was discovered in 2015 in Thailand. Due to being hunted by many people to keep as pets and due to habitat reduction, this species is under threat.

6. Giant Rat Vangunu

In 2017, mammalian Tyrone Lavery was lucky enough to catch a giant rat when it jumped out of a tree that had just been felled. As an expert on animals, he immediately recognized this was a strange species.

People in the Solomon Islands have been telling each other about this Vangunu breed estimated to weigh up to 1 kg for 80 years, but no one has caught it because they are quite rare and hide very well. Scientists say this species of mouse is under serious threat because of the loss of habitat due to human deforestation.

7. Tapanuli orangutan

Also in 2017, researchers announced they had found the Tapanuli orangutan. This is the 7th species of the great primate family discovered by humans and they are also the rarest of them all. Worldwide there are only 800 individuals left and they are threatened by hunting and habitat loss.

8. Wakanda fish

Around mid-2019, researchers discovered beautiful African fish and named them Wakanda – a fictional country in East Africa, home of the Black Panther. They have an average length of about 5 cm.

The reason it is named so is because this fish possesses sparkling purple scales, similar to the armor of the superhero.

9. Silver-backed hijab

Silver-backed chevrotain was found by wildlife conservationists in the forest in Vietnam in November this year. Although this is not a new species, scientists still consider it an important discovery of the decade, because this species was once thought to be extinct 30 years ago.