A new species of mammals

in the forests of Ecuador and Colombia, US scientists from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, discovered a new species of mammals. Animal called olingito, and its dimensions are comparable to the size of a raccoon. Note that this is the first discovery of a new type of carnivore in the last 35 years in the Western Hemisphere. Length olingito (Bassaricyon neblina) is about 35 centimeters, and he refers to the raccoon family. Note that although it is a carnivorous animal, the foundation of his power up fruit. Olingito is nocturnal and lives alone. Females animal nurture only one cub for raz.

In order to identify the animal as a separate species, the scientists took more than 10 years. The researchers' work began after Christopher Helgen, zoologist, discovered the skin and bones of the animal in the store of the museum in Chicago. The skin was bright red, and after looking for skulls zoologist could not learn their anatomy, as they differed from all these animals, which he had seen before. The comparison of DNA samples from the five already known species of the family confirmed the correctness of the opening Helge. According to the researchers, from 1967 to 1976 olingito he lived in some zoos, but their employees mistook him for a close relative - Olinga. This zoo workers could not understand why these animals do not breed.

Source: www.km.ru/science-tech/2013/08/16/issledovaniya-rossiiskikh-i-zarubezhnykh-uchenykh/718569-vpervye-za-35-let-v