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Newly Discovered: Giant Rats, Micro Possums... ...and apparently Palms.

#1 User is offline   barend Icon

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Posted 17 December 2007 - 05:51 PM

QUOTE
Giant rat discovered in Indonesia jungle
Finding new species of mammals in the 21st century is considered very rare



JAKARTA, Indonesia - Researchers in a remote jungle in Indonesia have discovered a giant rat and a tiny possum that are apparently new to science, underscoring the stunning biodiversity of the Southeast Asian nation, scientists said Monday.

Unearthing new species of mammals in the 21st century is considered very rare. The discoveries by a team of American and Indonesian scientists are being studied further to confirm their status.

The animals were found in the Foja Mountains rainforest in eastern Papua province during a June expedition, said U.S.-based Conservation International, which organized the trip along with the Indonesian Institute of Science.

"The giant rat is about five times the size of a typical city rat," said Kristofer Helgen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. "With no fear of humans, it apparently came into the camp several times during the trip."


Bruce M. Beehler / CI
This pygmy possum was found in Indonesia's "Lost World."

The possum was described as "one of the world's smallest marsupials."

A 2006 expedition to the same stretch of jungle — dubbed by Conservation International as a "Lost World" because until then humans had rarely visited it — unearthed scores of exotic new species of palms, butterflies and palms.

Papua has some of the world's largest tracts of rainforest, but like elsewhere in Indonesia they are being ravaged by illegal logging. Scientists said last year that the Foja area was not under immediate threat, largely because it was so remote.

"It's comforting to know that there is a place on Earth so isolated that it remains the absolute realm of wild nature," said expedition leader Bruce Beehler. "We were pleased to see that this little piece of Eden remains as pristine and enchanting as it was when we first visited."

Article


Thanks to J m HofMarN for this amazing new discovery

Wow, "unearthed scores of exotic new species of palms, butterflies and palms."

Someone's really into palms.


Also, awwwwwwwww on the little possum.
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#2 User is offline   looktothesky Icon

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Posted 17 December 2007 - 06:58 PM

I saw this on the news a few hours ago. That Possum is so cute. wub.gif
PRECIOUS VELIUS....
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Posted 17 December 2007 - 11:29 PM

That's really cool, but at the same time, I'm a little sad that now humans have begun making their mark on what was one of the last little un-humanized bits of the world.
I am writing about Jm in my signature because apparently it's an effective method of ignoring him.
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#4 User is offline   J m HofMarN Icon

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Posted 18 December 2007 - 02:45 AM

Since no ones used it yet:

"Rodents of Unusual Size? I don't believe they exist!"

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I don't know about you but I have never advocated that homosexuals, for any reason, be cut out of their mother's womb and thrown into a bin.
- Deucaon toes a hard line on gay fetus rights.
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Posted 22 December 2007 - 10:56 AM

QUOTE (Spoon Poetic @ Dec 18 2007, 03:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
That's really cool, but at the same time, I'm a little sad that now humans have begun making their mark on what was one of the last little un-humanized bits of the world.


Yes, places like the Sahara are beautiful.
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QUOTE (Game Over @ Feb 14 2008, 07:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yahtzee, you are the Oscar Wilde of the 21st century.

QUOTE (Patch @ Feb 14 2008, 08:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yahtzee is gay?!
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