'Sneezing Monkey' species discovered in Myanmar At first glance,
it seemed such an adorable, happy story: a new species of
monkeys had been discovered in the jungles of Myanmar, and the
monkey just happens to sneeze every time it rains. Sneezing
monkeys! How cute is that? The only scientifically observed
specimen (pictured above) had been killed by local hunters the
time researchers found it -- and was eaten soon after. The
monkey, well known to locals in Myanmar, has a snub, upturned
nose. When it rains, the water falling into its nose causes it
to sneeze. The sound helps hunters track the monkey down. The
local demand for the meat is just one reason why it's considered
at risk. Its local habitat is also being eradicated by the
logging industry. The depressing news comes on the heels of a
study released Tuesday by the journal Science that a global
extinction crisis looms. Forces such as habitat destruction,
over-exploitation and invasive competitors move 52 species a
category closer to extinction each year.