"Extinct Primate Found in Indonesia - PHOTO

nationalgeographic ^

[JoeProBono]

It may look like a gremlin, but this tiny animal is actually a pygmy tarsier, recently rediscovered in the forests of Indonesia.

The 2-ounce (57-gram) carnivorous primate had not been seen alive since the 1920s.

That was until researchers on a summer expedition captured, tagged, and released three members of the species (including this individual, above).

[JoeProBono]

"Everyone's always talking about pygmy tarsiers," said lead researcher Sharon Gursky-Doyen, a professor at Texas A&M University.

"There have been dozens of expeditions looking for them—all unsuccessful. I needed to go and try to see for myself if they were really there or if they were really extinct," added Gursky-Doyen, whose research was funded in part by the National Geographic Society's Conservation Trust.

"Once relatively abundant among the mossy, forested mountain slopes of Lore Lindu National Park in central Sulawesi, the pygmy tarsier population may have shrunk when logging in the 1970s destroyed its habitat, Gursky-Doyen said.

The nocturnal creatures rely on darkness to avoid predation. However in fragmented forests, the canopy lets in more moonlight, exposing the small animal to birds and other predators as it leaps from tree to tree.

Gursky-Doyen said she hopes the find will inspire the Indonesian government to protect the species and its habitat.

"[The] government needs to figure out a compromise between people and animals living in Lore Lindu."

[OneWingedShark]

New alien prop.

[cripplecreek]

Didn’t that little guy sell Quizno’s subs for a while?

[hercuroc]

The 2-ounce (57-gram) carnivorous primate

There's a movie here somewhere.

[JoeProBono]

"Didn’t that little guy sell Quizno’s subs for a while?"

Yep

[rintense]

Looks like a rhesus monkey, a lemur, and a sugar baby got drunk one night, had too much fun and this is the result.

[17th Miss Regt]

Don’t touch them. You all know the story about Brer Rabbit and the tarsier-baby.

[nuconvert]

weird angle

[hope]

Looks like my domesticated chihuahua..Won’t even make a good taco!!!

[TN4Liberty]

"Everyone's always talking about pygmy tarsiers,"

I am SO out of the loop.

[mamelukesabre]

Cool pic. I wonder what species of primate does that freaky looking “hand” belong to that is holding that poor little tarsier baby?

[Nathan Zachary]

looks more like a wingless bat than a primate.

[Dallas59]

Disgusting.

[JoeProBono]

Who?

[HP8753]

Don’t get them near bright light,Don’t get them wet,and Never feed them after midnight. ;-)

[RaiderRose]

Disgusting.

Aw, come on, you right-wing-nut-job! :)

He's cuuuuuute!

[RaiderRose]

Note to self...work on italics skills...dammit!

[JoeProBono]

"looks more like a wingless bat than a primate."

Ya think?

[randomhero97]

Okay, I want one.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Another Obama, the old boy sure got around!