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Cast your mind way back to 1980 (or let us take you on that journey if you’re post-Millennial)...
Rubik’s Cubes were melting minds, leather jackets were all the rage, Ronald Reagan was moving into the White House, and everyone was still asking, "Who shot JR?", around the water fountain.
And somewhere in South Africa, a quirky little insect called the granulate bladder grasshopper was spotted… for the last time.
Or so we thought.
Cue the dramatic reveal…
After more than four decades of radio silence, the granulate bladder grasshopper has re-emerged - not in a museum drawer or a dusty field journal, but alive and well in the stunning Umtamvuna Nature Reserve on the KZN South Coast.
The discovery was made by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife scientist Dr Adrian Armstrong, who photographed the elusive hopper on 1 December 2025 at the reserve’s Beacon Hill office.
We can only imagine his excitement at rediscovering THE grasshopper.
A win for science, nature, and grasshopper groupies
This rediscovery is big. Until now, the species had only ever been recorded vaguely in Mpumalanga, the KZN Midlands, and the Eastern Cape, with many fearing it had gone the way of the dodo.
Now that it’s officially confirmed alive, researchers have a new window into:
- Species distribution
- Climate resilience
- Conservation priorities
- And, yes, more grasshopper love songs
This little guy is named for the way the male bladder grasshoppers inflate their bellies like balloons to boom out mating calls you can hear hundreds of metres away.
Plus, this one looks like it’s wearing a studded leather jacket (very 1980s), with its body covered in tiny granules. Punk rocker vibes.
Why Umtamvuna Rocks (Besides for Rediscovering Legends)
The reserve, which is the southernmost nature reserve in KZN, is already iconic as a botanical paradise, complete with its riverine forest, rocky cliffs, and the Umtamvuna River flowing past.
It’s a great spot for hiking, exploring, and discovering cool insects (clearly).
BOOK NOW: Umtamvuna River Lodge
And here's the best part: Umtamvuna is just one of 19 jaw-dropping reserves and conservancies on the KZN South Coast.
From Oribi Gorge and Vernon Crookes to Mpenjati, every trail, cliff face, and riverbank is waiting to be explored.
Who knows, you might be the next person to spot a ‘missing’ species and you’ll definitely return home having had an epic adventure on the KZN South Coast.
Leather jacket optional.
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