Here's a new one to me, the kipunji Image - Two kipunji leaping between branches - Kipunji - Rungwecebus kipunji - ARKive
The Highland Mangabey was actually "new" to most people ~three-four years ago; BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Tanzanian monkey goes up a notch One of the favourites of mine: the moonrat (Echinosorex gymnura) http://pictopia.com/perl/get_image?provider_id=318&size=550x550_mb&ptp_photo_id=275598
The link is only two years old. Anyway thanks very much for your constructive comment Moonrats were mentioned in Gerald Durrell's books and he's been dead for years
@Pygathrix: The species was discovered in 2003/2004, but the data was officially published and the discovery made widely public in 2005; its status as a genus on its own was confirmed later. The gymnures/ moon rats as a subfamily of the Insectivora have been officially described in the 1840s, some specimen even earlier; therefore, Durrell was mentioning already established species. What is remarkable though (and that's why I mentioned the moon rats in general and especially Echinosorex gymnura) is that these animals (that are considered by some as "living fossils") are still pretty unknown in the western countries; I don't think I have seen one kept in any zoo at all.
Gymnures are interesting! My favorite is Hero Shrew Scutisorex somereni. Amazingly, still nobody knows why it has so bizzare adaptation! (Armored Shrew - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) I also like linzang and otter genet!
oh, but I won't be back in Cambodia for several years. Will have to try my luck in Sumatra next year instead (hopefully...)
Took me long enough to find it, but here it is: Sungrebe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Very little is known about it, apparantly... Quote: Equally extraordinary, and less known, are the details of the world's only known marsupial bird. "What," you cry in alarm! "This really is straining credulity!" Ahh, but truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction. Deep in the jungles of Central and South Am erica dwells a curious bird known as the Sungrebe (Heliornis fulica) 6. In 1833 the German ornithologist M. A. Wied 7 reported that this bird carried its young about in pouches under its wings. Subsequent generations of ornithologists viewed this report with, to say the least, 'skepticism.' However in 1969 Mexican ornithologist Miguel Alvarez del Toro 8 spent a summer in Chiapas observing a nesting pair of Sungrebes and stunned the ornithological world when he discovered that almost immediately after hatching the male places each of the two chicks in pouches under his wings and forthwith departs. What happens subsequently is unknown but presumably the male cares for and feeds these naked, altricial chicks until they are ready to fend for themselves, all the while transporting them safely beneath his wings. Voila! Sitting duck problem at least fifty percent solved! By the way, there are two other species of Sungrebes, the Southeast-Asian, Masked Finfoot (H. personata) and the African Finfoot (Podica senagalensis). To the best of my knowledge no one has ever observed the breeding behaviour of these birds. Any takers? Could be some interesting discoveries waiting to be made! Found on this site, which is very interesting indeed: Queer Birds Cool huh? Something about the breeding of the Masked finfoot : http://orientalbirdclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Neumann-MaskedFinfoot.pdf
Not sure if this counts since it’s a fairly recent discovery, but the spider-tailed horned viper was new to me. Thanks Seven Worlds One Planet.
Before seeing one at Timbavati Wildlife Park, I had never heard of a grison. I had also never heard of a Tamaraw before I joined this site.
Would highly recommend. It's got a great variety of species with many that aren't featured in the average nature documentary. All narrated by the legendary David Attenborough of course.
Yes! I know. I have been hyped up since October! (Personally wrote a fan letter do Sir David Myself!). EDIT:I don't know about you but my personal favorite BBC earth documentary is Blue planets 1&2. Such amazing camerawork! And the deep sea episodes for both are absolutely Stunning. David Attenborough can calm down anyone, even when he is talking about a siphonophore. (The cloning feature of the siphonophore is fantastic!).
I never new there was this many species in one genus of fish...... Garra - Wikipedia The Moore's woolly lemur is pretty rare and interesting, and so is the Alabama waterdog. Never knew it had existed since yesterday. Pretty interesting stuff. All these animals probably very few of the general public, (Non Animal nerds) have ever heard of. EDIT: Just found out that there are just over 20 species of giant isopod. Its not just one species.
Its ok. All of my species were species I recently had not knew had existed. At the time of typing the list, I only learned about them earlier today or yesterday.
