A team of scientists were just left stunned when they travelled to a “lost city” in the jungles of Honduras, only to find dozens of creatures that were thought to be extinct.

A team of researchers from Conservation International carried out the three-week expedition after ancient ruins were found at a site deep within the Mosquitia rain forest known as the “Lost City of the Monkey God” or the “White City.”

The rain forest is one of the most unexplored parts of Central America, and a new report details what the researchers found there. They said that the rain forest has a thriving ecosystem filled with rare and unique species that include new species and species that were thought to be extinct.

The researchers ended up documenting 198 species of birds, 94 of butterflies, 40 of small mammals, 56 of amphibians and reptiles, 30 of large mammals, including pumas, ocelots, and jaguars, as well as a variety of plants, fish, rodents, and insects.

One of their most notable finds was a tiger beetle, which had only ever been recorded in Nicaragua and was believed to be extinct. Another was a false tree coral snake, which had not been reported in Honduras since 1965.

“Our team of scientists were shocked at the discovery of tremendously rich biodiversity, including many rare and threatened species,” explained Trond Larsen, Director of Conservation International’s Rapid Assessment Program.

“Overall, our findings demonstrate that the area is of global environmental as well as archaeological significance,” Larsen added. “Armed with this knowledge, stakeholders can now begin to design and implement conservation strategies to protect this critical ecosystem.”

The researchers are now hoping that their findings will inspire more conservation measures that will help to protect the region from deforestation.