Published April 23, 2021, 11:02 PM
Giant cloud rat species weighing about a kilogram once roamed the Philippines based on the discovery of a team of scientists from the University of the Philippines (UP), National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), and the US Field Museum of Natural History.
In a news posted on the UP website on Friday, April 23, the scientists based their findings on the fossilized remains of the three extinct giant cloud rat species, locally known as “buot” or “bugkun,” which were known to have lived thousands of years ago.
The newly recorded fossil species were unearthed from Callao Cave and several adjacent smaller caves in Peñablanca, Cagayan.
Patricia Cabrera
Rats, by and large, aren t terribly popular animals. But while you don t want an infestation of common black rats living in your house, their distant cousins in the Philippines are downright cuddly. These giant cloud rats live in the treetops of misty mountain forests, and they fill an ecological role occupied by squirrels in the US. And, it turns out, we have new evidence that they ve been living in the Philippines for a long time scientists have discovered the fossils of three new species of giant cloud rats that lived alongside ancient humans. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the Philippines has the greatest concentration of unique species of mammals of any country, most of which are small animals, less than half a pound, that live in the tropical forest, Larry Heaney, the Neguanee Curator of Mammals at Chicago s Field Museum and an author of a study in the
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Published April 18, 2021, 10:51 AM
A priest cited the recent declaration of the Basilica Minore Del Santo Niño De Cebu as a National Culture Treasure as vital to the preservation of the historic church.
Photo shows a huge crowd of churchgoers at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu City before the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis. (PNA file photo by John Rey Saavedra)
“This is for the betterment of the church. The government and the basilica can now work hand in hand in its preservation. The declaration will also help deepen the faith and witnessing of the faithful,” Rev. Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes said over Radio Veritas.
Editorial: Safeguarding heritage sunstar.com.ph - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sunstar.com.ph Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.