Very odd mammal (an "almiqui") found in Cuba~
-
HAVANA, Cuba (AP) -- A living example of an insectivore native to Cuba -- but believed for years to extinct -- has been found in the island's eastern mountains, a Cuban news agency reported.
The discovery of the male insect-eating mammal known as an almiqui raises hopes "that it will not wind up in the catalog of the irretrievable animals disappearing from the face of the Earth," Prensa Latina said in reporting the discovery.
The creature looks like a brownish woolly badger with a long, pink-tipped snout and can measure up to 50 centimeters (about 19 inches), according to Prensa Latina's Monday dispatch.
The nocturnal animal burrows underground during the daytime, explaining why it is rarely seen by people. After the sun goes down, it emerges to root out worms, larvae and insects.
Named "Alejandrito" by the farmer who found it, the living almiqui weighed 688 grams (24 ounces) and veterinarians declared the animal in perfect health.
"Alejandrito" was held in captivity for two days of study and medical tests, then marked and let free in the same general area it was found, Prensa Latina said.
The almiqui was described for the first time in 1861 by the German naturalist Wilham Peters, who wrote of the difference between the Cuban animal and a similar one found in neighboring Haiti.
Since, only 37 of the animals known by the scientific name Solenodon Cubanus have been captured, including "Alejandrito."
The last reported sightings of the creatures were in 1972 in the eastern province of Guantanamo, and 25 years later in 1999 in the eastern province of Holguin. -
haha... woolly badger... cute name...Originally posted by PaJeRoMiNi Ver 1.0:The creature looks like a brownish woolly badger with a long, pink-tipped snout
*sigh* and you wonder why aliens don't make themselves known...Originally posted by PaJeRoMiNi Ver 1.0:"Alejandrito" was held in captivity for two days of study and medical tests, then marked and let free in the same general area it was found, Prensa Latina said. -
look nice
-
alot of wonderful creatures dying out.. like the red wolf, tigers, rhinos,
i feel like i should hv a pic of every animal b4 they die out so at least i've seen them b4..
like pandas.. i only see one time in zoo.. thats about it -
Save the animals......they are beautiful creatures God gave us
-
I hafta strongly agree with you guys. Animals are beautiful creatures but it seems that poachers and deforestation are killing them out. It's a sad fact that our grandchildren might not even get to see a 'live' panda or crocodile anymore...
-
i hate those dog-sodomising pieces of pig-turd who insist on making "pets" out of endangered species...
just like some brain-damaged progeny of syphillis-riddled baboon rapists around who are in the market for things like Star-Tortoises..
all of them ought to be castrated -
a really weird mammal
-
Originally posted by the Bear:i hate those dog-sodomising pieces of pig-turd who insist on making "pets" out of endangered species...
just like some brain-damaged progeny of syphillis-riddled baboon rapists around who are in the market for things like Star-Tortoises..
all of them ought to be castrated 
