When you hear of a new species being discoveredyou expect it to be small and hard to find. But as the name implies, the Laotian giant flying squirrel is not very tiny. In fact, its body is about half a meter long and it has an even longer tail of 62 cm. This makes it one of the largest species of flying squirrel.

 

Incidentally, the only specimen of this new species was found on sale in a meat market in a small village in central Laos. Researchers believe it was caught by a local hunter in a nearby conservation area.

 

The new species is a close relative of another rare flying squirrel discovered in India in 1981. Only one specimen of that species has been found so far and it is feared to be close to extinction.

 

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