Mouse-like mammal related to elephants discovered

For anyone who has ever wished for a pet elephant, a newfound relative of the elephant just might be the answer to your prayers. A tiny mouse-like creature was recently discovered in the Namib Desert in western Africa.

With a thin, long, trunk-like snout, the animal that “looks and acts like shrews that evolved in Africa is more closely to elephants,” said John Dumbacher, one of the scientists to discover the new mammal, reports Reuters.

Biologists of the California Academy of Sciences found the new species to be connected to elephants, manatees and aardvarks, according to ABC News.

The mammal weighs in at about 1 ounce and is 7.5 inches long, fitting right in the palm of a hand.

The scientists intend on continuing their research by attaching tiny collars to the creatures and following their patterns.
“It’s exciting to think that there are still areas of the world where even the mammal fauna is unknown and waiting to be explored,” said Dumbacher.

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