New species from South America

This new carnivorous mammal has a very unique appearance, such as cross between a cat and a teddy bear. The animals that live in the forests of Colombia and Ecuador, South America, is the first mammal that is found in the last 35 years on the continent.

A team, led by Smithsonian scientist Kristofer Helgen, spent 10 years examining hundreds of museum specimens and tracking animals in the wild in the cloud forests of Ecuador. The result―the newest species of mammal known to science, the olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina). (Picture from: http://smithsonianscience.org/)

The scientists took more than a decade to identify these animals. Olinguito tracing begins when Kristofer Helgen, a zoologist find the bones and skins of animals which are stored in the museum in Chicago, USA.

"The animal's bones and skins that make me want to look for," said curator of mammals at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. "The bone is different with other animals.It's definitely a new species discovery."

The Olinguito (Bassancyon Neblina) is a member of the raccoon family. The mammals with a weight of 900 grams, and has a length of 35 cm is very small. Mammals found in the forest at the southern canopy of the Andes mountains in Colombia and Ecuador, they were eat fruits, insects, and nectar.

The Olinguito habitat. (Picture from: http://smithsonianscience.org/)

These animals are thought to have existed since hundred years ago, but its existence was not identified. However, with the use of technology, now the scientists are able to conduct research by extracting their DNA.

Helgen recently announced the discovery after comparing the Olinguito DNA test results with five different species. He concludes, olinguito is a raccoon relatives. "It's hard to say how excited I am over this discovery," he said. Further Helgen said, olinguito classified as carnivores such as cats, dogs, bears, and others. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY | SMITHSONIAN SCIENCE | BUZZFEED | SATWIKA MOVEMENTI | KORAN TEMPO 4319]

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