A 31-year treasure hunt created by French author Regis Hauser has finally ended with the discovery of the “Golden Owl.” Launched in 1993 as part of a book that contained 11 clues to the golden owl, the publication didn’t yield immediate results.

Some 200,000 "owlers" have searched for decades for a statuette of an owl hidden somewhere in France. It has now been found.

A treasure hunt that began over 30 years ago has now ended, with the buried 10-kilogram (22-pound) diamond-encrusted "Golden Owl" finally being located. In 1993, Régis Hauser and Michel Becker created the treasure hunt,

After more than 30 years of mystery and intrigue, the world’s longest-running treasure hunt has come to a thrilling conclusion, with many convinced they wouldn't live to see the day.

The world's longest treasure hunt is over following an announcement that a golden owl 'worth £200,000' has finally been found. You wouldn't believe the amount of owlgebra it's taken to find this owl that's been missing for 31 years in France.

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Meanwhile, the world's longest-running treasure hunt is believed to be The Secret, by Byron Preiss, published in 1982. It involves a search for 12 boxes of treasure buried at secret locations in the US and Canada, of which only three have been found.

A 31-year-long treasure hunt that drew in thousands of enthusiasts across France appeared to have come to an end Thursday, after official social media accounts linked to the search said the token needed to claim the grand prize had been found.

Also known as the 'Sur la trace de la Chouette d'Or,' the hunt was created by Régis Hauser, under the pseudonym "Max Valentin," and it gave the global treasure hunters one of the toughest challenges in history.