An expedition to Indonesia led by researchers from Oxford University has recorded four three-second clips of the mammal “Attenborough long-beaked echidna”. – I was euphoric, the whole team was euphoric, Dr. James Kempton told BBC News about the moment he saw the presumed extinct animal for the first time. Until now, the only evidence that the particular species “zaglossus attenboroughi” existed was a decades-old museum specimen of a dead animal. 62 years since the last museum specimen was discovered in 1961, and is today well guarded at the natural history museum in the Netherlands. It has therefore been 62 years since the species was last found. The species, which in Norwegian is called porcupine, is called a living fossil. Scientists believe it first appeared 200 million years ago, at the same time as the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Apart from the platypus, the anteater is the only mammal that lays eggs. PLAGUES: Like the platypus, Attenborough’s anteater also lays eggs. The platypus is characterized by a broad duck-like beak, and thrives best in rivers and lakes. Photo: Reuters Named after Attenborough The small animal with a long beak was named after Sir. David Attenborough due his strong contribution to public appreciation of Papua New Guinea’s unique fauna and flora. NAMED: The small platypus “Attenborough long-beaked echidna” has been named after that Sir. David Attenborough. Photo: AP Attenborough is known to most people as the voice behind the BBC’s magnificent nature documentaries, such as Planet Earth and The Blue Planet. While Attenborough’s earlier work focused more on the wonders of the natural world, more recently he has been a strong and important voice in the fight against climate change. Want to protect the area In addition to finding Attenborough’s “lost porcupines”, the expedition discovered new species of insects and frogs, and observed healthy populations of tree kangaroos and birds of paradise. The Cyclops Mountains are steep and dangerous to explore. To reach the highest heights, the researchers had to climb up narrow ridges of moss and tree roots. Photo: Expedition Cyclops The expedition team found several new species in the inaccessible mountain area. This picture shows a large stickleback. The dense and rugged rainforest, with poisonous snakes and bloodsucking leeches, created challenges for the expedition team. A new species of terrestrial shrimp, found in the soil and in the trees of the Cyclops mountains. New species of insects and frogs were also found. The Attenborough anteater was caught on game camera on the last day of the expedition in the Cyclops Mountains. Dr Kempton says he hopes that the rediscovery of the anteater and other new species in the mountain area will help to conserve the rainforest in the Cyclops Mountains. – Considering that so much of that rainforest has not been explored, what else is out there that we haven’t yet discovered? – The porcupine is a symbol of what we need to protect the rainforest, says Dr Kempton. Despite being critically endangered, the Attenborough’s anteater is not currently a protected species in Indonesia. The researchers do not know how large the population is, or whether it is sustainable.
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