http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317105,00.html
Unknown Giant Rat Discovered in New Guinea Jungle
Monday, December 17, 2007
JAKARTA, Indonesia - Researchers in a remote jungle in Indonesia have
discovered a giant rat and a tiny possum that are apparently new to science,
underscoring the stunning biodiversity of the Southeast Asian nation,
scientists said Monday.
Unearthing new species of mammals in the 21st century is considered very
rare. The discoveries by a team of American and Indonesian scientists are
being studied further to confirm their status.
The animals were found in the Foja mountains rainforest in eastern Papua
province in a June expedition, said U.S.-based Conservation International,
which organized the trip along with the Indonesian Institute of Science.
"The giant rat is about five times the size of a typical city rat," said
Kristofer Helgen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington. "With no fear of humans, it apparently came into the camp
several times during the trip."
The possum was described as "one of the worlds smallest marsupials."
