Researchers Surprised to Find That a 200-Million-Year-Old Egg-Laying Mammal Did Not Become Extinct
Over the course of several millennia, numerous animals have vanished from the face of Earth. The extinction of these animals makes it difficult for experts to analyze their impact on the ecosystem. Well, there is good news as one of the creatures, considered extinct, has reappeared on Earth, stated Bored Panda.
Photo by Gilberto Olimpio)
The creature in question is the Attenborough echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi), named after Sir David Attenborough. For decades, the species was considered to be extinct, but in 2023, a team of researchers was surprised when they spotted a specimen of it in Indonesia.
Echidnas have always been a subject of special focus for experts, according to BBC. The group has been labelled as 'living fossils' because they have been around since the age of dinosaurs. Therefore, analyzing them gives insights into several periods. Along with the duck-billed platypus, the group stands apart as the only mammal that lays eggs for reproduction. There are four echidna species in total, which have long beaks. Amongst them, Attenborough echidna, and the western echidna have been labelled critically endangered.
Attenborough echidna had long been thought to be extinct, but the perspective changed after some discoveries in the Cyclops Mountains. Researchers spotted certain 'nose pokes' in the area, and further examinations indicated that it could have been made by an Attenborough echidna. However, the remote nature of mountains prevented researchers from gaining visual evidence of their existence.
Some decades later, a team of researchers went on an expedition to the Cyclops Mountains to get the elusive footage, according to ABC. The expedition was led by scientists from Oxford University. The first step was to put cameras all over the site. It was only on the last day of the four-week-long expedition that they retrieved the footage of the Attenborough echidna. The team, as well as collaborators from the Indonesian conservation group YAPPENDA, were elated with the hard-earned success.
The pursuit wasn't easy, as the team had to face ailments like malaria and disasters such as an earthquake. The worst was when a leech attacked a team member's eyeball during the trip. Still, the researchers did not give up, and also received immense help from locals in Yongsu Sapari village. Elders from the village informed them that echidnas are tied into the fabric of their culture. A local tradition states that in case of a conflict, one member was sent to pursue an echidna while the other was sent to get a marlin. Both are hard to find, and therefore, the tradition typically resulted in resolution.
Researchers collected four three-second clips of the Attenborough echidna, according to the BBC. Before this discovery, the only specimen of this creature was in the custody of the Treasure Room of Naturalis, the natural history museum of the Netherlands. It was the analysis of this dead specimen that led to the identification of the Attenborough echidna. Initially, it was believed to be a squashed hedgehog, but X-rays showcased that it was a fully grown and distinct echidna species.
Many more new species, apart from the Attenborough echidna, have been uncovered from the mountains. This showcases how essential it is to protect these ranges, that is the abode of many endangered and lesser-known species.