This endangered animal, which looks like a rat in Djibouti, Africa, has an elephant-like trunk
Djibouti, November 19, 2021, Wednesday
An elephant-like species of mouse, which became extinct 40 years ago, has been found in the African country of Djibouti. This small creature may look like a mouse in shape but it belongs to a community of giant elephants. According to local records, the creature, known as the Elephant Screw, was last seen in 190 and no trace of it has been found. The rat-like elephant is also known as Sagins. Although it is not an elephant or a rat, it has got this name. It is related to the pig type animal found in Africa. In the 19th century, biologist Jonathan Kingdom proposed that the animal be called Sangis. Which is associated with the Bantu language of Africa.
This mammal covers a distance of 4.5 km per hour. The jumps of his legs are like those of a rabbit. Compared to other mammals, the brain size of Sangis is large. Sangis weighs from 10 grams to 200 grams. It has a lifespan of two to four years. Length is 10 to 20 cm. Its tooth formula resembles that of a rat. This is a very fickle animal that is difficult to catch or trap. Sagins are not social animals but live in pairs when there is danger in a residential area. This elephant uses its pointed nose to eat worms. Its long nose looks like an elephant's trunk from an angle.
There are more than 20 species of it all over the world, of which the Somali Sangi is considered to be the most mysterious. Elephant Screw was first discovered in Somalia, hence the name Somali. It was identified by Steven Heritage, a researcher at Duke University in the United States. Although locals in Djibouti often saw the animal, they did not know it was extinct. Scientists are preparing a large-scale project for the study of Sangi, so many information will come out that will interest zoologists.
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