Despite its formidable-sounding name, the Somali elephant shrew or sengi is tiny. Video, Grief: 'Everything looks the same, but it isn't' Video, Grief: 'Everything looks the same, but it isn't', I May Destroy You star supports black hair code. AMéLIE BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIS, AFP . In addition to their rediscovery, scientists were surprised to learn of the species abundance in Djibouti. Shares. No one had seen so much as a whisker. Read about our approach to external linking. EU sets out plans in case Brexit trade talks fail, In Trumpâs final days, a rush of federal executions, How everyday life has changed in Wuhan. The Somali sengi has been lost to science since the 1970s, leaving just the 39 preserved specimens held in the world's natural history museums as the only physical evidence that it ever existed. They caught one of the creatures in the first trap they set in the dry, rocky landscape of Djibouti. The Somali sengi is one of the 25 "most wanted lost species" of the charity, Global Wildlife Conservation. 24 AUGUST 2020 . .css-8h1dth-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-8h1dth-Link:hover,.css-8h1dth-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. The team also included global elephant shrew expert Galen Rathburn, who had been studying the creatures for decades but had never seen a live Somali sengi, according to researcher Steven Heritage, of the Duke University Lemur Center. The elephant shrew was found in Djibouti, in East Africa, during a scientific expedition for the "lost species" which had not been seen since the 1970s, despite local sightings. Strange, 'Long-Lost' Elephant Shrew Has Been Rediscovered in Africa After 50 Years . Share Share on twitter. Elephant shrew rediscovered after lost to science for 50 years. .css-14iz86j-BoldText{font-weight:bold;}A little-known mammal related to an elephant but as small as a mouse has been rediscovered in Africa after 50 years of obscurity. The Somali sengi is a strange amalgamation of creatures. The mouse-sized animal, called the Somali sengi, is also known as an elephant-shrew. Offbeat Agence France-Presse by Elizabeth Claire Alberts on 18 August 2020 . 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The creature was found alive and well in Djibouti, a country in the Horn of Africa, during a scientific expedition. The last scientific record of the “lost species” of elephant shrew was in the 1970s, despite local sightings. The abundance of the species seems similar to other elephant shrews and its range may extend beyond Somalia into Djibouti and possibly Ethiopia. Their findings prove that the Somali sengi "is currently extant" and lives far beyond the boundaries of Somalia, the researchers said in a study published in the journal PeerJ. For half a century scientists feared that the Somali elephant shrew had vanished from the face of the Earth. Share on facebook. But the tiny mammal with its probing trunk-like nose was quietly thriving in the arid, rocky landscape of the Horn of Africa, researchers said Tuesday. The team, which plans a new expedition to learn more about the species, believes the sengi could be living across Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia. But during an expedition last year scientists found the animals still roaming the wild, discovering that the Somali sengi is not confined to Somalia at all. The Global Wildlife Conservation group even included it on its "25 most wanted lost species" list. © ScienceAlert Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. It is distantly related to elephants, aardvarks and manatees. For half a century scientists feared that the Somali elephant shrew had vanished from the face of the Earth. 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Somali sengi, also known as the elephant shrew, have been rediscovered in the wild after not having been observed since 1968. VideoI May Destroy You star supports black hair code, Beauty professionals hope for a prettier picture. © 2020 BBC. Tiny elephant shrew species rediscovered in Africa after 50 years. As a result, researchers recommended that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reappraise its classification for the Somali sengi on its list of vulnerable creatures, from "Data Deficient" to "Least Concern". "Without formal documentation, the species of the sengis in Djibouti was unknown," Rayaleh told AFP. The Somali elephant shrew, or the Somali sengi, is related to aardvarks, elephants and manatees but is only a few inches in size. The last scientific record of the "lost species" of elephant shrew was in the 1970s, despite local sightings. Elephant shrews, or sengis, are neither elephants nor shrews, but related to aardvarks, elephants and manatees. By Helen Briggs Wednesday August 19, 2020 The animal is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.STEVEN HERITAGE . The scientists had heard reports of mysterious sightings in Djibouti, so they decided to go there and see for themselves. It is distantly related to elephants, aardvarks and manatees. The mouse-sized animal, called the Somali sengi, is also known as an elephant-shrew. A mouse-sized elephant shrew has been rediscovered in Djibouti in Africa after being missing for 50 years. The mammal has somehow dispersed across great distances over time, leaving biologists with a new puzzle. And while they cannot estimate the size of the population, they believe the sengi is thriving. While its body is the shape and size of a mouse’s, it has spindly, gazelle-like legs that allow it to dart across boulders at breakneck speed. The elusive, insect-eating creature is neither an elephant nor a shrew. ... (Elephantulus revoilii), a small mammal related to the elephant, was recently “rediscovered” in Djibouti. 0. "For Djibouti this is an important story that highlights the great biodiversity of the country and the region and shows that there are opportunities for new science and research here," he said. A little-known mammal related to an elephant but as small as a mouse has been rediscovered in Africa after 50 years of obscurity. Source: STEVEN HERITAGE. Scientists working in the Horn of Africa have documented the existence of a remarkable little mammal called the Somali elephant shrew -- or Somali sengi -- for the first time since the 1970s. The Somali elephant shrew has been rediscovered in Africa after being off the radar since 1968. Adorably weird elephant-shrew rediscovered after 50 years lost to science. 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