They're furry. They're cute. They're 5 new species of hedgehogs, Smithsonian scientists confirmed.
CBSN
They're small, furry and look like mice — but scientists say they're actually a new species of hedgehogs. An international collaboration of researchers led by Smithsonian scientists identified five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs, according to a study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
The scientists said they were able to use DNA analysis, as well as the animals' physical characteristics, to identify two entirely new species and elevate three hedgehog subspecies to the level of species. Distinguished by their furry bodies and pointy snouts, the little hedgehogs, known as lesser gymnures or Hylomys, are native to Southeast Asia.
There were previously only two known species of the group — now there are seven in total.
