Video: It has spines like a hedgehog, a snout like an anteater and shovels like a mole: A camera trap has provided the first images of a live Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna. © Source: University of Oxford
It has been hiding for over 60 years – but now researchers have once again proven the existence of the Attenborough long-beaked echidna in the mysterious Cyclops Mountains of New Guinea. The representative of the egg-laying mammals fell into a camera trap that they set up during an expedition into the remote mountains. The team also discovered other bizarre creatures there and a previously unknown cave system, reports the University of Oxford.
So far it has only been documented scientifically once: in 1961, the Dutch botanist Pieter van Royen discovered the new representative of the long-beaked echidna during an expedition in the Cyclops Mountains of New Guinea. The species was later named Zaglossus attenboroughi in honor of the wildlife filmmaker and naturalist Sir David Attenborough. The significant thing about the find was that it formed a new member of the ancient mammal group the Monotremata, which are also known as monotremes. In addition to two other long-beaked echidna species, they only include the short-beaked echidna and the Australian platypus. These bizarre-looking creatures are descendants of a line of development that split off from the mammalian family tree at an early stage. This is reflected above all in the Monotremata’s unusual way of reproduction: they lay eggs from which young animals hatch, which are then suckled with milk.
Lost for 60 years
However, after its discovery, the Attenborough long-beaked echidna became a mystery case: no other specimen has been scientifically documented since 1961. In addition to its rarity and remote distribution area, this was due to its hidden lifestyle: long-beaked echidnas hide in holes in the ground during the day and only become active at night. They then use their shovel-like feet to dig for ground creatures, which they collect with their long snouts. The only evidence that the Attenborough long-beaked echidna still exists in the Cyclops Mountains has so far only been traces in the ground and observations by the region’s locals.
One of the goals of the “Expedition Cyclops” was to once again detect the mysterious animal in the remote mountain world. To do this, the international team of researchers set up 80 camera traps at specific locations in the jungle during the four-week research project. They were supported by residents of a village on the north coast of the Cyclops Mountains. However, the hurrah moment only came at the very end, the scientists report: in the last recordings they evaluated, the animal’s striking silhouette could finally be seen. One of the cameras actually provided the first images and film footage of a living Attenborough echidna.
Adventurous discoveries
The key to success was the good cooperation with the villagers, emphasizes expedition leader James Kempton from the University of Oxford: “They also gave us their knowledge about how to get along in this dangerous mountain world.” However, the expedition was still a real adventure: the researchers not only had to deal with mosquitoes, leeches and poisonous snakes, but were even surprised by an earthquake, reports the University of Oxford. “Although some would describe the Cyclops Mountains as a green hell, I find the landscape magical, enchanting and exciting – like something out of a Tolkien book,” says Kempton.
As the team emphasizes, in addition to the rediscovery of the Attenborough long-beaked echidna, the expedition brought other exciting successes. By combining scientific techniques with the knowledge of the Papuan team members, the researchers made many further discoveries while exploring the habitat of the Cyclops Mountains. These include, among other things, several dozen new species of insects. What was particularly exciting was the discovery of a completely new genus of ground- and tree-dwelling shrimp. “We were amazed to discover these animals in the forest because it is very different from the typical coastal habitat of these animals,” says team member Leonidas Romanos Davranoglou from the University of Oxford. “We believe that the high humidity in the Cyclops Mountains due to the high amount of precipitation ensures that these animals can live entirely on land,” explains the biologist.
The team also discovered a previously unknown cave system in the Cyclops Mountains – in an adventurous way: one team member fell through a moss-covered entrance. During the subsequent exploration, the researchers came across some inhabitants of the underworld. These included blind spiders and harvestmen, as well as a whip scorpion, all of which are new to science.
As the University of Oxford writes in conclusion, further discoveries are likely to follow. So far, the team has only seen a fraction of the material collected on the expedition. It can therefore be assumed that they will identify even more new species in the coming months.
Source: University of Oxford