New Elephant Shrew

Scientists report that a new species of animal has been found in Tanzania. Rhynochocyon udzungwensis {wiki} is a type of giant elephant shrew, also called a sengi. The species was first observed on film in 2005, and specimens were collected in 2006. The animal is not a shrew, but is closely related to a group of African mammals which include elephants, sea cows, aardvarks and hyraxes.

“This is one of the most exciting discoveries of my career,” said Galen Rathbun, from the California Academy of Sciences, who helped to confirm the animal was new to science along with an international team of colleagues.

It is the first new species of elephant shrew discovered in 126 years. The BBC described it as looking like “ a cross between a miniature antelope and a small anteater.” Link -via the Presurfer

Update 2/1/08 by Alex – Conservation International has the photo gallery (and later in the week, a chat with one of the members of the expedition team) – Thanks Lindsay Walter-Cox!