New Mammals of the Neotropics

You remember learning about mammals in elementary science class: warm-blooded vertebrates distinguished by the possession of hair or fur, the secretion of milk by females for nourishing babies, and the birth of live young. For wildlife lovers, mammals—especially large ones—often get top billing. And new mammal species are being discovered regularly! Today’s webinar takes a look at mammalian diversity, including 21st-century additions to classification charts in the world’s neotropics region. Among these newly discovered species in South America are the silky anteater, Pampas cat and the olonguito, a cute teddy-bear-like critter related to the raccoon. Join Brazilian Expedition Leader Helder Brandão, an expert on biodiversity and conservation, along with special guest Marcus Brandão, a researcher at the Museum of Zoology, University of São Paulo, as we dive into this fascinating topic. How do scientists determine when they’ve found a new species? How much is the diversity of large mammals increasing in the neotropics? And what are the implications for ecotourism, when there are more species to look for, and some even rarer than presumed? You’ll come away with all sorts of unique conversation-starter info to impress your friends with!


Originally presented October 19, 2021

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