Laotian Rock Rat

The Laotian rock rat is one of over 1,000 different species of animals that have been discovered during the past ten years' research along the Mekong river in Thailand. The rat was thought by scientists to have been extinct for the past 11 million years. It was re-discovered in a food market in 2005. It is also known as the Laotian rat squirrel.BBC News: Laotian Rock Rat is Discovered](December 15, 2008)

According to the World Wildlife Fund's published report in December 2008, 1,068 new species of animals were classified during the ten years of research conducted along the Mekong river. The research spanned from 1997 to 2007 and was led by Dr. Somsak Panha.World Wildlife Fund: More Than 1,000 New Species...](December 15, 2008)