Researchers caught this Durrell's vontsira in 2004 and eventually determined it was an unknown species.
British researchers have identified a previously unknown mammal in Madagascar, and it's already endangered.
Researchers from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, London's Natural History Museum, Nature Heritage and Conservation International discovered the critter, which eats meat, weighs about 1.5 pounds and is the size of a fox squirrel.
The brown speckled creature lives in the Lac Alaotra wetlands in central eastern Madagascar. Scientists briefly captured one in 2004 and suspected it was a new species. They took detailed photos of it and confirmed that it was different from the brown-tailed vontsira, a mongoose-like animal that also lives in the area, the Durrell Trust stated on its website.
"The future of the species is very uncertain because the Lac Alaotra marshes are extremely threatened by agricultural expansion, burning and invasive plants and fish," said Fidimalala Bruno Ralainasolo, a conservation biologist working for the Durrell Trust who captured the original specimen.
Zoologists named the critter Burrell's vontsira, after the late conservationist Gerald Burrell, founder of the trust, which is dedicated to preserving endangered species. The findings are described in the current issue of the Natural History Museum's taxonomic journal Systematics and Biodiversity.
what is it
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii yoooooooooooooooooooo
how big is it
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
can it be named grrrrrrrr?
Uhh.. tht looks like my mother D:
how do you kno wat my mom looks like??
ur an idiot george
You'll find more in the deli.
call it the thing. V.W. pulled it off
poor little thing...leave it alone
Great. So human beings starve so these rat like weasles can live there. Round them all up, put them in captivity and pay people to care for them.
I know some will say it's a death sentence but it's either them or humans.
I got an older ten dollar bill in my change one day. Was worth $20 to a collector. I spent it.
jim
its a beast...its a dog.... is a beast...bet it tastes like frog
TEst-comment follows
REcently, scientists have discovered many new species-some previously believed to be extinct. These discoveries result from the clearing of ancient animal habitats for humans. Sadly, recently, scientists have also discovered that many species are now dying in large numbers-including frogs, snakes, bats and even migratory wildlife. Many scientists believe this results from pollution and pesticides in our streams, rivers and oceans. Please vote for the ENVIRONMENTALLY SANE Democrats and help save our troubled planet for our children. Thanks, your grateful friend-Rita.
If they are a new species then i would hope they are endangered as there should be only a few of them. Because of this I think government should just leave them alone so they they multiply. After all Human started with one male and one female and as stupid as we are we multiplied way too much
wow under the obama administration.