His conclusions are sobering. It’s estimated there are roughly 10 red handfish at one of the sites and 90 at the other. Threatened species ecologist Tyson Bessell says it’s a complicated business attempting to unravel the secrets of an animal while simultaneously trying to save it from extinction.īut the work he has done for his PhD, including efforts to establish a baseline estimate of how many are left, is helping plug some of the gaps. But a team of dedicated researchers has been toiling for years to ensure the survival of the grumpy-looking creature, about which little is known.