New inquiry published in the journalDiversitydescribes what could well be a new mammalian species found in the Taita Hills of Kenya . Hailing from the University of Helsinki , the team of scientist on the tree hyrax ’s case have divulge insight into the brute which was antecedently unknown to science , including recordings of their bizarre and unequalled vocalizations which sound unlike any other known specie .
Thetree hyrax(Dendrohyraxsp ) is a unmanageable animal to distinguish . Sitting somewhere between a large guinea pig and a small - eared rabbit , they are famous for their screaming strength ( very on - brand for 2020 ) and can reach over 100 dB when allow one free . This novel coinage vocalize using what the researchers describe as a “ strangled thwack ” , which can be heard bound around the Taita forest but have never been recorded elsewhere . Despite their appearance , the hyrax has a somewhat surprising faithful living congener , as they are actually most nearly related to elephant .
Very little is known about the diversity and ecology of these elusive animal . They are mostly alive at dark , where they rove the forest high-pitched in the tree diagram canopy . Here , they rehearse their unique singing style which can go on for more than 12 minutes , compose of a serial of syllables that are merge and repeated throughout their song . The fresh species of coney was let on as it was proved in an psychoanalysis of their song that they sounded very trenchant from other vocalizing species .
" tree diagram hyraxes are almost all unknown to science , " said PhD student Hanna Rosti , who spend three months trailing and recording the hyraxes , in an email to IFLScience . " They are relatives to elephant and manatees . These tree hyraxes are incredibly outspoken , and pass along with each other perpetually .
" How they can wax in 50 measure tall trees with just three toes and quite rotund dead body is a mystery . They eat leaves , so their ecological corner is like native bear in Australia or slothfulness from South America . "
Scientists still have much to check about these tough and unusual creatures , but their security department as a species is already a cause of business for Rosti and her colleagues .
" These Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree hyraxes are living in two small timber fragments , that are only three solid kilometer in size of it , " she wrote . " This intend that conservation of this species , including recognise it scientifically , is in a great hurry . "
