A new species of tiny elk was found in the central Andes in Peru. It is the first new species to be found in South America in more than 60 years.
The tiny moose, known as podos, are the smallest moose in the world. At maturity, the podo reaches a height of up to 45 centimeters and weighs between 6 and 13 kilograms. It feeds mainly on leaves and has many enemies in nature including foxes, tigers and birds of prey. The podo is in danger of extinction and its status is defined as "vulnerable" - mainly due to deforestation for pastures or fruit orchards. In addition, it is under constant threat of being hunted or captured by tourists or hunters as pet animals. The average podo lifespan for the wild is 15 years and nine months with the average lifespan being 8 - 10 years and 10 months. The discovery of the new species brings back to life the genus Podella, which was previously proposed in 1913 to separate the northern and southern species.