Two animals thought to be extinct rediscovered in remote rainforest

Scientists have discovered two animal species in south-east Asia that were thought to have long been extinct.

Researchers came across a tiny long-fingered possum and a ring-tailed glider living in the rainforest in the Indonesian province of West Papua.

Both marsupials hadn't been spotted for 6,000 years, and were thought to have vanished during the Ice Age.

Experts say that finding one 'lost' species is incredibly rare, but have described finding two at the same time as being "remarkable".

The discoveries were made by scientists who looked through old fossils and rare photos, before making visits to remote locations in New Guinea.

Working with local indigenous people, they were able to find the two species living in the rainforest, despite experts having thought both to be extinct.

The pygmy long-fingered possum is a tiny striped marsupial that weighs just 200 grams.

On each hand its fourth finger is twice the length of its others, which it uses to dig out insect larvae.

The other species experts found is the ring-tailed glider, which looks a little like a lemur.

It lives in the hollows of tall trees and has a strong tail that it uses for gripping.

Both animals were previously thought to have vanished during the Ice Age and came as a total shock to the team.

Professor Tim Flannery, who was involved with the research, explained that finding one species that was thought to have vanished was "an exceptional discovery".

"But the discovery of two species, thought to have been extinct for thousands of years, is remarkable," he added.