'Bizarre' mammal discovered

it's a kiwiphant!!

hehe an elephant and a kiwi just got frisky!!

:P

n then shipped the result to Tanzania!!

ha! NEVERMIND!

that thing has a tail!!

lol

ok, next hypothesis...

a kangaroo and an elephant?

a rat?

hmm....

hehehe :D

it's an ignoramus... exiled from the herd.

It's definitely a kiwiphant! That or a mangoshrew.

During the latest conservation international live segment I was able to ask this question of Francesco the man who discovered this new species of giant elaphant shrew that is a relative of elephants and other large mammals and is the size of a small dog.

Gabriel Canada:
Is there any link between the large rodents found in New Guinea and your discovery? Also, what are your feelings on other recent species such as the collosal squid in the waters around the Arctic, and ultimately what do discoveries such as yours say about the biodiversity of the Earth?
Francesco Rovero:
We know that there are probably perhaps millions of species to be described yet. Most are invertebrates, which can be found pretty much everywhere, but especially in the tropics because they are more diverse. We also know there are probably millions of undescribed species in the deep oceans, below 1,000 meters.

It certainly gives us hope that there are still new forms of life to be discovered. Because of the extinction crises, we need to be faster in our discoveries and act more quickly to protect new species when we find them. Like the giant elephant-shrew, many new species are endangered by the time we find them and are bound to be very restricted.

thats weird?
...you learn something new everyday.

I'm sure the people of Tanzania will kill it off.

Why so, kramericus? Have you ever been to Tanzania? I have - lovely country and wonderful (and diverse) people. The only thing, in my mind, that could drive the Tanzanians to kill it of would be a huge and widespread famine.

Thanks for the picture, phillyharper - I find this animal quite beautiful - what wonderful colours in his coat, too. :)

Overpopulation.

B.S. in Environmental Science.

Did you have a nice trip?

Its is Obviously indirectly protected by locals due to minute or lack of habitat destruction of the shrew's habitat. otherwise it would have disappeared a long time ago.
The elephant shrew was so called "discovered" by the west. Locals have known and seen it for thousands of years. Now the west has seen it, Zoos will race for its captivity causing the dawn an illegal trade of these animals.

B.S. in Ecology.

That's really, really interesting, so why is EVERY species of flora and fauna at it's lowest population levels in recorded history?

Overpopulation.

And even if it's put in a zoo, what helps any animal after humans decide "I've got more pressing needs than going to my job at the zoo?" For instance, famine, disease, natural catastrophes, human specific virii, etc...

No zoo is worth the shit it wipes up all day. It's an artifical space that is NOT an ecosystem.

You KNOW THIS. Why argue?

It's all going to shit my friend.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to drive my SUV over the backs of some cute, small furry animals while sucking down quarter pound cheeseburgers and throw the Styrofoam containers at their dead carcasses so I can get to the Christian rally against the new Starbucks logo.

[sarcasm.]

Hm, interesting, if anything, i think we need to explore the depths of our ocean over anything else.

Very interesting. The colors are so vivid!

I was not making an argument, i was merely stating the obvious.

I know we have reached our carrying capacity decades ago, just based on consumption of resources.
But remember it is more complicated than that. some people are overconsuming than others therefore they have a larger impact on the environment, "ecological footprint".

i know overpopulation is a major issue. but the world is also seeing a general decline of birth rates. Seems to me a temporary issue.

the real issue is what happens when everyone on earth had the average American consumption mentality. we would need 5 more earths. and we can forget the other species.

just thought i should bring up the dynamics of the matter. :)

Boom! You're the FIRST person to EVER say that to me. Thank you.

"What happens when everyone on earth had the average American consumption mentality? We would need 5 more Earths. And we can forget the other species."

People want the American standard of living, and it's just not possible.

Enjoy the little creature, but KNOW this moment is temporary and it will most likely NOT survive humankind's wanton, wholesale destruction of our planet.

Big picture. Nice. Wow. That's...refreshing (to hear someone else understand our doom).

You are welcome. In the mean time i will continue to fight till i have no strength left to at least ensure that my 3 year old nephew, can survive to 80 without being nuke out of the planet, be starved because it will be come illegal to use natural seeds, since now companies are genetically engineered seeds that destroy themselves after the first yield, and pay off our aging population's retirement plans.
until then brother, we should continue to open people's eyes, to what our lifestyle does to the planet and the future the next generations. :(

To clarify: Yes, I'm jaded as Hell.

Ecology and the environmental sciences have been my religion for years and it's taken its toll on me to watch the bullshit that people espouse all day that makes ZERO sense.

Now people are talking about global warming? Now people are talking about biodiversity? That's not news. It's too little, too late.

It's time for eco-revolution, physical and mental. Anything short of that is more talk while the sand in the hourglass runs out.

And another thank you... I will stay in the fight for my five year old boy.

joetitude and I are done talking big picture on this thread.

(Although I hope you did read our rants because it's all unified and inter-related.)

Please go back to enjoying and discussing the article.

i wonder what it taste like

Nice!

fascinating

It's adorable!!!

This week digging up some holes, next week this poor guy will be in Paris Hilton's arms

Though we are killing of species at a very high rate, there are still billions of creatures out there that has yet to be found.

yet people will tell you that evolution doesnt exist. what are they thinking! but anyways, this thing is crazy, i cant wait to see what more they can discover about this animal

Wow. A stupid looking rat thing. Way to go science.


Cute? Yea, okay, you got me, but so are squirrels. I'm sure the little guy was doing just great before Santa (aka Dr Rathbun) came and made him a star. Find me the Loch Ness Monster, then we'll talk.

I would really enjoy the presence of such a mammal, I only wish my dog looked like such a fuzzy-elephant because he sure does act like one.

looks like it would go good with A-1 sauce.

Hey kramericus and joetitude, i really enjoyed reading your intelligent conversation regarding reasons why this adorable little creature is probably doomed already. It's cool to see two people with different backgrounds in science present the way they see the issue. And I agree with everything you both said.

I've been tackling a double major in biochemistry and ecology for the past few years, and I suppose my only intelligent input that I could add to your discussion is that I hope there is enough genetic variation within the population to keep it going.

I'm sure you guys already knew that, but I'm hoping other people would find it interesting that lack of genetic variation within a population (as well as overpopulation and the need for five earths) is yet another obstacle species face with a declining population.

...but just looking at the faces of these critters looks to me like they have plenty of genetic variation, like a mutant or something! =D

i love mammals.

yeah, sweet pet - "This is my Tanzanian grey-faced elephant shrew, Fido".

Looks like across between an ant eater and a rat.

awkward....

I thought all species were in danger, even us.
There is so much we don't know and so much we have not seen that I have a lot of hope for Humanity.
It may not always be the same....but it WILL be.

i wonder if i can cross-breed one of these with a tamarind monkey , and a vampire bat ,in a lab - now that would be awesome - a bat winged monkey with a miniature elephant trunk .

Whoa. How the hell have we missed something so weird looking for so long?

Intelligent design huh?

Now people will hunt it for sport to the brink of extinction. Congrats doc, elitists will use the little trunk as an aphrodisiac.