Tiny, long-lost primate rediscovered in Indonesia

[Invictus ChiKen]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – On a misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, scientists for the first time in more than eight decades have observed a living pygmy tarsier, one of the planet's smallest and rarest primates.

Over a two-month period, the scientists used nets to trap three furry, mouse-sized pygmy tarsiers -- two males and one female -- on Mt. Rore Katimbo in Lore Lindu National Park in central Sulawesi, the researchers said on Tuesday.

They spotted a fourth one that got away.

The tarsiers, which some scientists believed were extinct, may not have been overly thrilled to be found. One of them chomped Sharon Gursky-Doyen, a Texas A&M University professor of anthropology who took part in the expedition.

"I'm the only person in the world to ever be bitten by a pygmy tarsier," Gursky-Doyen said in a telephone interview.

"My assistant was trying to hold him still while I was attaching a radio collar around its neck. It's very hard to hold them because they can turn their heads around 180 degrees. As I'm trying to close the radio collar, he turned his head and nipped my finger. And I yanked it and I was bleeding."

Link

[Dargos]

The tarsiers, which some scientists believed were extinct, may not have been overly thrilled to be found. One of them chomped Sharon Gursky-Doyen, a Texas A&M University professor of anthropology who took part in the expedition.

"I'm the only person in the world to ever be bitten by a pygmy tarsier," Gursky-Doyen said in a telephone interview.

When we start hearing about Flesh eating Zombies infestations in Indonesia, we will know where the infection came from. Maybe we should retarget a few nukes just in case. It's the only way to be sure.

[Duckie]

Aww, they're cute too! That's great that they're not all dead.

[The Spartan]

I find some of the details interesting from the article. The little fellas can turn their heads 180 degrees and are the only known primates to have claws rather than finger nails.

Plus, well, look at the little guy! Awwwww

[TithonusSyndrome]

Hopefully they had the sense to take DNA samples. Y'know, just in case it's another 80 years before they're seen again or even longer.

[Eleas]

Hopefully they had the sense to take DNA samples. Y'know, just in case it's another 80 years before they're seen again or even longer.

Indeed, judging by the article above, the primate did have enough presence of mind to take tissue samples. Smart little critter.

[PeZook]

You call that thing cute?

[Shroom Man 777]

We've got those critters in the Philippines too. I'd love to get a hold of one and put it in my mouth, chew its tiny bones up, and swallow it.

But then I'd get imprisoned by the guvmint and beaten with stick...