Forget Megashark vs. Giant Octopus – we’ve got something even more terrifying to occupy your nightmares, and this one really exists. A team of biologists (apparently determined to make the world uncomfortable) has found a new species of flying squirrel, which is the biggest squirrel species ever. And this sucker is big.
Upon discovering the creature on display for sale at a bush meat market in Central Lao, this team of biologists from Thailand, the UK, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic decided upon the name Biswamoyopterus laoensis for the creature – but the chill version is just “Laotian giant flying squirrel.”
What’s that, gentle reader? “Why ‘giant,'” you ask innocently? Well, I’ll tell you, but prepare yourself: this squirrel is four feet long. For reference, that’s basically as tall as Peter Dinklage. Given that we know that regular squirrels cause an endless number of power outages every year, we shudder to think what havoc these Laotian giants will wreak on humanity.
Oh, and did we mention they could be anywhere? According to the scientists, “the geographical range of Biswamoyopterus laoensis is currently not known.”
Sweet dreams!
(story and image via Sci-News)
- This bulletproof squirrel is hard-core
- Did you know squirrels cause, like, every power outage?
- Seriously, people are really upset about it
