04 March 2023 , 10:30
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A possum that was feared extinct was discovered by an amateur naturalist, being cooked on a hungry family's BBQ.
Michael Smith found the species that was feared extinct in Papua New Guinea, as experts suggest that the population is still at large.
The Telefomin cuscus possum, which is a critically endangered possum found on New Guinea, was discovered last year by Mr Smith.
The naturalist, who works at a medical communications company, says that this discovery in July last year left him shocked.
And experts say that his sighting of this rarely known species was "vital" for conservation efforts, but as it was being cooked there was nothing Mr Smith, from Farnham, Surrey, could have done.
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Mr Smith with locals in West Papua, Indonesia (Michael Smith/SWNS)While trekking through the dense forest in the southwestern Pacific, he found a family cooking the animals, reports the Daily Mail.
Despite stumbling upon the creature, he found the family setting up dinner plates to feast on the rare creature.
And while it was already being prepared on the grill when he found it, Mr Smith decided to take photos of the carcass of the possum.
Speaking about his find, he said: "At least I could see it before it ended up on dinner plates and was able to examine the bodies.
"Once they had been eaten, I photographed their skulls and took measurements."
Zoological Society of London conservationist Dr Rikki Gumbs said: "Sightings such as this of poorly known species are vital for conservation efforts."
The possum found (not pictured) by Michael Smith was being cooked and eaten by a hungry family (Michael Smith/SWNS)The Telefomin cuscus possum is much different to the Opossums that is largely seen America. This specific creature is native to New Guinea and is relatively large, compared with other possums.
Other noticeable features that distinguishing it from other possums include the presence of bare skin on at least part of the tail, and low-crowned molar teeth. They have claws on the fore feet, but none on the hind feet.
But this isn't Mr Smith's first rare find.
Five years ago, he took a photo of a Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo last seen in 1928 - also in Papua New Guinea - just north of Australia.
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He also captured a snap of the Louisiade pitta bird - which looks like a colourful robin and was believed to extinct - that found was chirping happily in a tree.
Mr Smith took the first ever photograph of the species, which was last seen in 1916.