In a remarkable wildlife breakthrough, scientists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have, for the first time ever, published a photograph of a living Upemba lechwe—one of the world’s rarest antelopes. With fewer than 100 remaining, the fleeting moment occurred during an aerial survey in Upemba National Park, where a lone antelope paused just long enough for a biologist to snap the historic image. The find marks the first population update in over 50 years, revealing the species’ dire state due to illegal hunting. As of the early 1970s, the Upemba lechwe numbered about 22,000. However, the species is now on the brink of extinction. Researchers hope the photo will ignite global awareness and swift conservation action to save this elusive “forgotten antelope.”
The Guardian
