New Mammal Discovered in Borneo?

nissin · Post by **nissin** » 06 Dec 2005, 18:24

Photo in the News: New Mammal Discovered in Borneo?

December 6, 2005—Creatures hoping to stay incognito in Borneo's rain forests should watch where they step. The mystery animal pictured at top walked right into the limelight when it entered a nighttime camera trap set by World Wildlife Fund researchers.
The scientists say the newly exposed critter, a red-furred creature about the size of a house cat, could be the first new mammal species discovered on the Southeast Asian island in more than a century. The camera caught only two blurred images, which WWF released today. But an artist's rendering (shown at bottom) offers an idea of what the whole animal might look like.

"We showed the photos of the animal to locals who know the wildlife of the area, but nobody had ever seen this creature before," WWF biologist Stephan Wulffraat said in a press statement.

"We also consulted several Bornean wildlife experts—some thought it looked like a lemur, but most were convinced it was a new species of carnivore." Scientists hope to confirm the discovery by eventually catching a live animal.

nissin · Post by **nissin** » 06 Dec 2005, 18:26

What do you guys think? Sure don't look like a lemur or cat to me...

Garfielosaurus_rex · Post by **Garfielosaurus_rex** » 06 Dec 2005, 21:48

That's very interesting. I think too that they discovered a new mammal, and a big one for not discovering it before. That's why we don't have to destruct the forests and the oceans, we discover new species each year. The problem, it's that approximately 1000 species disappear each year. /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="<_<" border="0" alt="dry.gif" />

nissin · Post by **nissin** » 07 Dec 2005, 17:21

Yeah, you're right. I think the above animal may be something like an evolved creature or something. Hmm, there was this other image of it too, from the back caught on the camera - but I can't find it. So far..., whatever it is... its got a long tail and is definatly not a cat.

JP DrGrant · Post by **JP DrGrant** » 07 Dec 2005, 21:52

Makes me wonder what other species are hidden away in the rainforest/congo areas. Possibly dinosaur(ish) creatures??

nissin · Post by **nissin** » 07 Dec 2005, 22:27

Ah yeah, there are a few myths out there based on something like that. It's possile that there are undiscovered dinosaur-like creatures somewhere. But... we just don't know... maybe someone did discover them, but didn't make it alive to tell us about it, eh? /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

SSJDinoTycoon42 · Post by **SSJDinoTycoon42** » 07 Dec 2005, 22:50

*ahem* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's: The Lost World *ahem*
^^fiction^^

Among the many other myths throughout the century...

nissin · Post by **nissin** » 12 Dec 2005, 03:18

Yeah... like the Loch Ness Monster/ Nessie... and the one about the Triceratops in Africa... (I think it was a Trike, or was it was a Brachy...?)... or both...?

SSJDinoTycoon42 · Post by **SSJDinoTycoon42** » 12 Dec 2005, 07:57

Yeah, it was a Brachi, I remember it.

Tyrannis · Post by **Tyrannis** » 13 Dec 2005, 01:20

there's a trike one too