14 DAY TRIAL // A paper published in yesterday's issue of the journal ZooKeys details the discovery of a new mammal species in the Andes. The species, now called the olinguito or Bassaricyon neblina, is believed to be a member of the raccoon family.
Its representatives live in forested areas, and mainly come out of their hiding places during nighttime.
Although they look cute and fluffy, onlinguitoes are carnivores, Nature reports.
Therefore, odds are the tiny animals they share their natural habitat with would much rather run for their lives than give the onlinguitoes they come across a great, big hug.
The average onlinguito has a tail measuring about 75 centimeters (almost 30 inches) in length, which is why some say these animals look like the love child of a teddy bear and a cat.
Interestingly enough, the scientific community has been aware of the fact that these creatures exist since over 100 years ago.
However, they mistook them for representative of one other species, i.e. the lowland olingos, for quite a long while.