Save the polar bears, of course … but it’s the solenodons we really need to worry about

Helping the critically endangered mammal is vital because it's the last survivor on its branch of the evolutionary tree

Solenodons are some of Earth's strangest creatures. Venomous, nocturnal and insectivorous, they secrete toxins through their front teeth - an unusual habit for a mammal. More to the point, the planet's two remaining species - the Cuban and the Hispaniolan solenodon, both highly endangered - have endured, virtually unchanged, for the past 76 million years. Other related species have become extinct.

And that makes solenodons very important, according to Professor Sam Turvey, of the Zoological Society of London. "They are the last fruits on an entire branch of the tree of evolution," said Turvey, who was last month awarded one of the most prestigious awards in zoology, the Linnean medal, for his work on evolution and human impacts on wildlife. "There are no close counterparts to solenodons left on Earth, yet they have been on the planet since the time of the dinosaurs."