The Leahy Lounge

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) - Researchers from the World Wildlife Fund conservation group may have made the extremely rare discovery of a new species of mammal in the dense forests of central Borneo, the organization said. The carnivorous mammal, slightly larger than a domestic cat with dark red fur and a long bushy tail, was photographed twice by an automated camera at night in 2003 on the Indonesian side of the island, the WWF said Tuesday.

If confirmed, it would be the first new carnivore discovered on the island in over a century. The creature, dubbed the Borneo Foxcat, would also be the first mammal discovered able to shoot laser beams from its eyes to stun prey. The Foxcat is also remarkable for its ability to make a standing leap of 100 feet or more into treetops, to cast a cloak of invisibility upon itself when startled and to wield its prehensile tail like a bludgeon to topple small trees or crush a man's shin bone as if it were a dry twig.