Lord Howe Island Stick-insect

Once considered extinct, this large, flightless insect is one of the heaviest of its order, with a robust black-brown exoskeleton and a body that can exceed 10 centimeters in length. Nocturnal and largely herbivorous, it feeds on native vegetation and shelters in groups during the day, historically playing a role in nutrient cycling and as prey within its island ecosystem. Adults are wingless and rely on climbing and crevice-dwelling behavior for protection.

The species is endemic to the Lord Howe Island group off the coast of Australia. Once found across Lord Howe Island itself, it was believed extinct for decades until a small population was discovered on the nearby volcanic outcrop of Ball's Pyramid, a habitat of steep rock faces with sparse vegetation, far more limited and marginal than its original range.

Its decline followed the introduction of black rats to Lord Howe Island in the early 20th century, which preyed heavily on the insect and eliminated it from the main island. The surviving population on Ball's Pyramid remains extremely small and geographically confined, making it vulnerable to genetic bottlenecking, stochastic events, storms, and any future incursion of invasive predators. Habitat quality on the outcrop is also limited.

Conservation efforts have included captive breeding programs established from individuals collected on Ball's Pyramid, with insectariums and zoos internationally maintaining assurance populations. Rat eradication programs on Lord Howe Island have been undertaken to enable eventual reintroduction to the species' historic range.

The species' survival currently depends on continued captive breeding success and the effectiveness of invasive species control on Lord Howe Island. Its long-term outlook remains uncertain, contingent on establishing self-sustaining wild populations beyond the single fragile site at Ball's Pyramid.

Originally inhabited the forests of Lord Howe Island, feeding on native vegetation including Melaleuca howeana. The surviving population exists on Ball's Pyramid, a 562-meter tall volcanic stack, where they shelter under a single Melaleuca shrub and feed on its leaves.