We guess we should thanks the San Diego Zoo for its conservation work and successfully breeding three baby tree lobster insects, but have you seen these things? It's hard to show gratitude when we're thinking about them being in the same state as us.
All kidding aside, the Zoo's successful breeding is, in fact, a good thing. The insects, which are native to Lord Howe Island, were thought to be extinct way back in the 1920s, until they popped up again in 2001. When a ship broke down on the island in 1918, hungry rats feasted on the tree lobsters, and they were thought to be entirely wiped out. Then, in the 1960s, several dead ones turned up in Ball's Pyramid, a volcano in near Lord Howe Island. Despite the volcano's apparent unlivable conditions, in 2001, more of the insects were found—alive.
After failed attempts, the San Diego Zoo finally successfully bred the insects—though, they aren't the only ones; the Melbourne Zoo also has a breeding program. The hope is to one day set these guys (and ladies) free on Lord Howe Island, however that rat problem still has to be cleared up, even after all these years. Remind us to never go to that island.
