The Search for Olinguito: Discovering a New Species (Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries)

Sandra Markle is the author of numerous award-winning books for children. A former elementary science teacher, she is a nationally-known science education consultant.

Markle has received many honors for her series Animal Predators, Animal Scavengers, and Animal Prey. Several titles have been named as National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)/Children’s Book Council (CBC) Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, and Animal Predators was honored as a Top 10 Youth Nonfiction Series by Booklist.

Markle is also the author of the Insect World series and several single titles. Her book Rescues! was named a Best Book by the Society of School Librarians International and a Recommended Title of Outstanding Nonfiction by the National Council of Teachers of English’s (NCTE) Orbis Pictus Award committee; Animal Heroes was named a 2008 Lasting Connections title by Book Links.

Markle lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida with her husband, photographer Skip Jeffery.

"'Nothing new under the sun,' goes the old saying, but apparently there is. Consider the first 'new' carnivore spotted in the Americas in 35 years―the olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina), a small furry member of the raccoon family, hiding in plain sight (though nocturnal in nature) in the Ecuadorian rain forest. Markle, impressed by the announcement of the new species in 2013, set off on her own expedition of research, contacting Kristofer Helgen and assistants Roland Kays and Miguel Pinto to document the discovery. Her lucid, brief text records the 10-plus years from Helgen's first observation of a discrepancy in a preserved specimen at the Chicago Field Museum to the big reveal at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, in 2013. With color photos, maps, a raccoon 'family album,' and some tips on scientific investigation, this is a fascinating glimpse into the long process in the lab and in the field to document the search for actual proof of a new species. VERDICT: This quick but wondrous look at the scientific search for the olinguito is an excellent addition to science collections."―starred, School Library Journal

"A species of mammal newly identified through museum research is found in the wild in Ecuador. Comparing olingo pelts and skulls at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Kristofer Helgen found a set that didn't match. Continuing his museum investigations around the world, he found similar specimens in four other collections. DNA testing showed that it was, indeed, a different species, which he named olinguito, 'little olingo.' One such animal had lived and died in captivity in the 1970s, but did they still exist in the wild? In this latest title, science educator Markle provides a stellar description of a long-term scientific investigation involving research in museums, in laboratories, and in the field. Her clear, well-organized text introduces the scientific question, describes the research, and introduces the newest member of the raccoon family. A two-page spread describes other family members, and there are numerous well-captioned photographs of this appealing new addition as well as American (mostly white) and Ecuadorian scientists at work. She makes clear that these animals were known to local people all along; it was scientists who were surprised. Attractive design and thoughtful backmatter complete the package, a nice complement to Lulu Delacre's description of the olinguito's native cloud forest, ¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z!/Olinguito, from A to Z! A compelling account of the solution of a scientific mystery."―starred, Kirkus Reviews

"At the opening of the twenty-first century, scientists were uncertain whether olingos, racoon-like forest dwellers, comprised one or more than one species. As researcher Kristofer Helgen investigated this issue, he stumbled upon pelts and skulls stored in various natural history museums that pointed to a related but separate problem: perhaps some of the remains labeled as olingos were actually another mammal entirely. Markle focuses on the decade where Helgen began studying the animals in museum storage, determined that a related animal he would call an olinguito existed as recently as the 1970s; he then hypothesized that they actually might still exist. He put together a team that sighted the animals in an Ecuadorian cloud forest and, after further research and documentation, had his work published and claimed naming rights to Bassaricyon neblina. Helgen's identification of a topic for study and the years-long trajectory of his research are laid out in economical, orderly chapters, supplemented with large photos and and maps that are nicely adapted to science-classroom use. Young patrons who regularly stalk the 599s in search of kissin' cute animals will also gravitate to the wide-eyed, silky-furred olinguito, who has all this time been contentedly squeaking on his nocturnal swings through the trees, just out of sight of nosy scientists. Source notes, glossary, a kid-appropriate reading list, and an index are included."―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"For many years, the olinguito, a tree-dwelling mammal in South American cloud forests, was mistaken for the olingo or kinkajou, but the work of Kristopher Helgen, a scientist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, revealed it to be a new species. Readers move through the stages of Helgen's discovery, accompanying him as he travels to museums around the world, runs DNA tests, and leads a research expedition in Ecuador to see if the olinguito still exists (it does!). Markle is careful to show what a long process declaring a new species can be; it took Helgen 10 years. While a number of cute olinguito photos appear throughout the book, the focus remains on the process of determining and proving whether a species exists. As a result, the illustrations also pull in the skulls, pelts, and taxidermied specimens that Helgen examines during his research. This unique approach to animal study gives readers insight into a less commonly discussed area of scientific research, while simultaneously illuminating an elusive, 'new' animal."―Booklist