Photo by Maroesjka Lavigne

Significant amounts of the highly endangered plant have been spotted in Lake Mývatn, possibly indicating signs of recovery.

MBL reports that biotechnology engineer Arn­heiður Rán Alm­ars­dótt­ir was walking by Lake Mývatn last evening when she discovered large quantities of marimo, a rare form of aquatic plantlife found in Iceland and Japan.

The marimo in question were on the small side, measuring about the size of a chicken egg, but their appearance could mark a change for the better when their numbers are concerned.

The precarious state of Iceland’s marimo has been known for some time now, with pollution cited as one of the more prominent causes of their declining numbers.

In fact, human activity has been linked to the destruction of the marimo. While it is still too soon to declare marimo’s resurrection definitive, this new discovery could indicate a recovery is underway.