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Monday, April 28, 2008
Dwarf cloud rat rediscovered
BAGUIO CITY -- A cloud rat species, which was last seen more than a century ago, was rediscovered in the country's second highest peak, prompting calls for more conservation efforts in the national park.
The dwarf cloud rat, said to be a long-time mystery for biologists, was captured by a team of Filipino and American scientists who conducted a survey of small mammals in Mt. Pulag.
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Lawrence Heaney, curator of the mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and Danilo Balete, research associate of the Philippine National Museum, rediscovered the dwarf cloud rat in a portion of a mossy forest in Mt. Pulag.
The scientists called for stricter implementation of conservation laws to protect the several animal and plant species found in Mt. Pulag.
"You can't find a place like Mt. Pulag in other parts of the world," Heaney stressed.
The team believed the dwarf cloud rat lived up in moss-covered trees, based on its physical characteristics.
Heaney said the animal is quiet sensitive to human intrusions, reason why it is only found in a thickly covered forest.
The mammal was last seen 112 years ago in Mt. Data. The dwarf cloud rat has soft, reddish-brown fur, a black mask around large dark eyes, small rounded ears, a broad and blunt snout and a long tail covered with dark hair.
Its picture was first published in 1898, two years after it was discovered by British biologist John Whitehead in Mt. Data in Mountain Province.
The researchers consider the rediscovery as a breakthrough in biology, saying it will open up to an in-depth study of the species.
Heaney said the dwarf cloud rat has been a mystery for scientists since it was last seen in 1896.
The cloud rat, which is preserved in formalin solution, will be brought to Chicago for further study, Heaney said, explaining that the animal died in captivity. The team used animal traps in their research.
Mt. Pulag, elevated at 2,922 meters above sea level, is home to the largest and smallest species of cloud rats.
Mt. Pulag National Park superintendent Emerita Albas said preserving the mountain's biodiversity is a challenge to indigenous peoples living around Mt. Pulag.
Environment Regional Director Samuel Penafiel encouraged the people, particularly the farmers, to help preserve the mossy forests.
The agency is also against the construction of farm-to-market roads in areas that cross into the national park. (JC/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (April 28, 2008 issue)
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