Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008

It’s Not Extinct After All!

From:  Yahoo/Reuters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This undated handout photo shows a creature called a pygmy tarsier, believed for the eight decades to have been extinct. One of the world’s smallest and rarest primates, it was rediscovered in Indonesia by Texas A and M University professor Sharon Gursky-Doyen in August.

 

There is a really fabulous, full article on Yahoo.Com.  But, the basics of the story are that these pygmy tarsiers are the planet’s smallest and rarest primates and they only weigh something like 2 ounces.  They are in the same species/family as us humans!  Apparently, on a “misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi,” scientists observed and subsequently trapped 3 of the animals.  At first, I’m livid… TRAPPED?  For God Sakes, Why!?!  Especially because these little guys have been sucessfully keeping the breed alive and away from humans for 8 decades!!!  But, the scientists say that they are just being photographed and radio-collared so that they can monitor their movements.  They did this trapping, via nets, in a National Park.  Lovely.   Anyway, they did spot a fourth one that was able to escape, lucky guy!  He was probably totally freaked out and saying, “DAMN!  WHERE ARE THE TAKING MY PEEPS!” (and, he was probably thinking humans were crazy aliens).

One of the tarsiers bit one of the scientists.  Good for him!  And, doesn’t the guy in the photo just look totally p’d off about being held?

It’s an interesting article, check it out.

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