Flat Earth: Wolf whistle

I SEE that yet another new animal species has revealed itself to science, bringing the total to five this decade.

Last week's newcomer, according to Tim Flannery, an Australian scientist, is the whistling kangaroo, which lives in Irian Jaya where it is known as bondegezou - man of the high forest.

Bondegezou can be found living up to 16,500ft above sea level and, according to Flannery, are virtually fearless. When the villagers walk through their habitat, he says, these interesting creatures 'stand up, whistle and show their furry white bellies'.

'Oh, really?' said our friend Phoebe - rather snappishly in my view. 'No problem for them getting a job on a London building site, then.'