Article 5781C After 50 years, scientists confirm that adorable elephant shrew species still exists

After 50 years, scientists confirm that adorable elephant shrew species still exists

by
Andrea James
from on (#5781C)

The Somali sengi, a type of elephant shrew with an elongated nose, had not been observed since the 1960s. It was recently rediscovered by scientists who lured them out from their rocky habitats with peanut butter, oatmeal, and yeast.

somali-sengi-01.jpg?resize=930%2C563&ssl

The Somali cutie was originally rediscovered in neighboring Ethiopia, per Duke University's Steven Heritage:

Here we report new evidence that the Somali Sengi is currently extant. These data include voucher specimens, georeferenced occurrence localities, body measurements, habitat parameters, and DNA sequences. While the species is historically documented as endemic to Somalia, these new records are from the neighboring Republic of Djibouti and thus expand the Somali Sengi's known range in the Horn of Africa. Furthermore, Djiboutian locality data near international borders suggests that the Somali Sengi is also a current inhabitant of both Somalia and Ethiopia.

Image: YouTube / LiveScience

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