7 September 09

Believed extinct for more than 80 years, the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect is back from the brink thanks to a species survival program at Melbourne Zoo.

Beginning with one pair of the insects in 2003, Melbourne Zoo's insect specialists are now looking after about 600 individuals and thousands of eggs.

The project is one of several successful conservation projects featured on the ABC's Science website pages, in honour of Threatened Species Day (September 7).