New Carnivorous Mammal Discovered in Madagascar

[clearvision]

Discovery:

 

A new species of carnivorous mammal, likely highly endangered, has been discovered in eastern Madagascar, conservationists told AFP Thursday.

 

The animal, brown and similar to a mongoose, was found in the wetlands of Lake Alaotra, the largest expanse of fresh water on the Indian Ocean island.

 

It has been baptized Durrell's vontsira (Salanoia durelli) after the late British naturalist Gerald Durrell, who led conservation projects in Madagascar.

 

The mammal belongs to the eupleridae family, which is endemic to Madagascar.

 

"We noticed the existence of this mammal several years ago but we thought it was a species we already knew and that is found in the forest," said Robert Bourou, an assistant researcher with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust who took part in the operation to capture a specimen of Durrell's vontsira in 2004.

 

The specimen captured allowed scientists at the Natural History Museum in London to determine they were looking at a species hitherto unknown.

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So two comments:

 

They just took a specimen from the breeding population that they think is extremely endangered.

 

2nd is we have one of these in the states already...

 

 

[SrWoodchuck]

Clearvision!

 

I think this is cool! Madagascar is a very neat place.

 

Full of things that bite, strangle, poison & kill you.....and flowers no one has seen before.

 

Regarding the new, little meat eatin' thingee......they'll probably take it apart to see what makes it tick.....and then put it back together when they're done.....maybe with parts left over!

[Pepper]

Uncanny resemblance.

 

Durrell's vontsira waxmannia