The Worlds Fluffiest Tail Could Come with a Bloodlust

The tufted ground squirrel of Borneo has been recognized to have the world's fluffiest tail. However, in a twist hilariously reminiscent of the white rabbit in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," this little beast may also have a ferocious taste for blood.

The tufted ground squirrel in question, called Rheithrosciurus macrotis, inhabits the forests of Borneo - the third largest island in the world, located between Australia and southeastern Asia.

Conservation scientist Erik Meijaard and his wife Rona Dennis have been gathering photos and video footage of Rheithrosciurus from motion-activated cameras across the fierce little squirrel's habitats.

According to a study published in the journal Taprobanica: The Journal of Asian Biodiversity, Meijaard and Dennis helped guide their daughter Emily Meijaard, who analyzed the pictures to determine the average body and tail size ratios of Rheithrosciurus.

Remarkably, they discovered that the animal, which is only about 35 centimeters long (twice the size of most tree squirrels), has a tail that averages about 30 percent larger than the volume of the squirrel's body.

"The species is really quite bizarre," Erik told Science Magazine.

He went on to explain that it is now thought that the animal has the largest tail-to-body size ratio of any mammal in existence. The Meijaard family theorizes that this massive bobbing tail my be used to confuse larger predators into thinking a larger animal stalked the thick foliage of Boreno.

Fantastically fluffy tails aside, the tufted ground squirrel also boasts another attribute that makes it remarkably bizarre - a thirst for blood.

In the course of their study, the researchers learned that many local hunters claim to have seen the squirrels leap from low-hanging branches onto the necks of tiny deer, bleeding the animals to death and then disemboweling their carcasses.

The study has no conclusive photos of such action, and the validity of such claims remains disputable.

Emily, only 15, has now shifted her attention to studying the argus pheasant - an animal without the potential for blood-splattered fluff.