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Scientists were amazed when they captured footage of the long-beaked echidna in an Indonesian rainforest, as it was believed to be extinct. This was the first time the species had been seen in years.
The mammal known as the “Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna” was last observed by scientists in 1961. It was recorded by camera traps placed in the Cyclops Mountains of Indonesia’s Papua province.
This creature is part of a unique category known as monotremes, which also includes the platypus. It is among the small number of five surviving species in this group.
Echidnas can be elusive creatures due to their nocturnal habits, living in burrows, and natural shyness.
A group of scientists from different countries worked together with nearby communities to set up over 80 camera traps to capture footage of the animal.
During the entire four weeks that the researchers were in the forest, their cameras did not capture any evidence of the echidna.
However, on the final day, they were able to capture the elusive animal and take their last shots using the final memory card. These images were the first ever taken of Attenborough’s echidna.
Kristofer Helgen, a mammalogist at the Australian Museum Research Institute, later verified the identification of the species that was believed to be extinct.
Biologist James Kempton from the University of Oxford, who spearheaded the expedition, stated that the long-beaked echidna found by Attenborough possesses the quills of a hedgehog, the snout of an anteater, and the paws of a mole. Due to its unique blend of features, it is named after a figure from Greek mythology who is a combination of human and serpent.
Dr. Kempton explained that the reason this mammal looks so different from others is because it belongs to a group called monotremes, which split off from the rest of the mammal family approximately 200 million years ago and lays eggs.
A previously undiscovered type of shrimp, known for living near the ocean, was recently discovered in the Cyclops Mountains.
The group also identified several extraordinary new creatures, such as beetles, spiders, scorpions, and a previously unknown type of shrimp that lives in trees. They also found a bird called Mayr’s honeyeater, which had not been seen by scientists since 2008.
The entomologist Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou expressed surprise at finding a shrimp in the heart of the forest, as it is unusual for these creatures to live in a non-coastal environment.
Dr. Davranoglou stated that the abundant rainfall in the Cyclops Mountains creates a suitable level of humidity for these creatures to survive solely on land.
Despite the hazardous environment of treacherous terrain, dangerous animals, disease-carrying leeches, and intense heat, scientists discovered a previously undiscovered network of caves.
The research team from different countries established a temporary base camp on the northern side of the mountains.
Throughout the project, researchers reported that Dr. Davranoglou suffered a broken arm in two separate locations, one team member fell ill with malaria, and another had a leech stuck to their eye for a day and a half before it was eventually removed.
“I find the landscape of the Cyclops to be enchanting and dangerous, almost like a scene from a Tolkien novel,” commented Dr. Kempton, although others may label it as a ‘Green Hell’.
Source: independent.co.uk
