Witnessing the appearance of a mouse species that has been extinct for 11 million years in Phong Nha - Ke Bang

Through camera traps, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (Quang Tri) recorded images of a species of rock rat thought to have become extinct about 11 million years ago.

On August 3, the Management Board of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park ( Quang Tri ) announced that it had just discovered a rare species of Truong Son rock rat existing in the natural environment through camera traps. Photo: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

The rock rat photographed by camera trap is the Truong Son rock rat. This is the first time images of this rare rat have been recorded. The Truong Son rock rat (Laonastes aenigmamus) is one of the species that was thought to be extinct 11 million years ago. They were vividly recorded in the wild, in a nocturnal foraging position in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Photo: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

The camera trap system was deployed from the end of 2024 in coordination with international conservation organizations, located in the strictly protected area of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. To date, the system has recorded 424 images of rock rats at 10 different trapping stations. Photo: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Previously, the Truong Son rock rat species had only been confirmed through specimens, no individuals had been recorded living in the wild. Photo: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Previously, in 2005, scientists first discovered a strange rat species in the Hin Nam No National Biodiversity Conservation Area (Laos) and named it the Laotian rock rat. Photo: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Experts have compared the morphological characteristics of the Laotian rock rat with fossils of ancient rodents. Thereby, they concluded that the Laotian rock rat is the only living representative of the ancient mammal family Diatomyidae, which became extinct 11 million years ago. Photo: Tien Phong.

By the end of 2011, while conducting a biodiversity survey of small mammals in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, scientists collected four specimens of a strange rat species in Kim Phu Commune, Quang Tri Province (formerly Thuong Hoa Commune, Minh Hoa District, old Quang Binh Province). Through analysis, the researchers determined that these specimens were of Laotian rock rats. They then named this rock rat species recorded in Vietnam as Truong Son rock rat. Photo: Tien Phong.

Readers are invited to watch the video: Many new species discovered in the Mekong River Region. Source: THĐT1.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/tan-muc-loai-chuot-tuyet-tich-11-trieu-nam-xuat-hien-o-phong-nha-ke-bang-post2149043141.html