Australian scientists say they have uncovered a number of previously unknown mammal species in Papua New Guinea, including a new dog-sized wallaby.

After crowdfunding the money for the study’s expenses, Euan Ritchie, an ecologist and researcher at Deakin University in Melbourne, installed 40 camera traps in the Torricelli mountain range.

Nestled in the north-west of Papua New Guinea, the mountain range is home to some of the most endangered mammals in the world, including the Dendrolagus Scottae (Tenkile), which he says there’s “there's likely to be more than five times as many giant pandas than tenkiles in the world.”

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While also capturing images of these critically endangered special, they also stumbled across what they say were previously unknown animals.

“We certainly got an image of what we think is a new species of sort of small kangaroo, dorcopsulus wallaby. Think small dog-size wallaby if you like,” Mr Ritchie told ABC.

“There's also things like bandicoots and rodents that don't appear to be in any of the books that we know about.”

The team will have to return to the area to catch the animals, take measurements and DNA samples – but the process will be a long one.

Shape Created with Sketch. Recently discovered mammals Show all 7 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Recently discovered mammals 1/7 Other recently discovered mammals The olinguito was the first carnivorous mammal species discovered in the Americas since 1978 Getty 2/7 Other recently discovered mammals The lesula, or Cercopithecus lomamiensis, are from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the species is described as shy and quiet PA 3/7 Other recently discovered mammals The Saola can only be found in Vietnam and Laos. It looks like a small deer and the first alive saola was discovered in 2010 AP 4/7 Other recently discovered mammals The Cypriot mouse is a species of mouse native to Cyprus. It was discovered in 2006 and has bigger hear, ears and teeth than European mice AP 5/7 Other recently discovered mammals A Macroscelides micus elephant shrew found in the remote deserts of southwestern Africa. The new mammal discovered in the remote desert of western Africa resembles a long-nosed mouse in appearance but is more closely related genetically Reuters 6/7 Other recently discovered mammals The Burrunan dolphin (Tursiops australis) is a species of bottlenose dolphin found in parts of Victoria, Australia and Gippsland Lake.It's believed that only 150 of them remain alive EPA 7/7 Other recently discovered mammals Paucidentomys Vermidax, a rat that doesn't gnaw. It was discoveres in Indonesia PA 1/7 Other recently discovered mammals The olinguito was the first carnivorous mammal species discovered in the Americas since 1978 Getty 2/7 Other recently discovered mammals The lesula, or Cercopithecus lomamiensis, are from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the species is described as shy and quiet PA 3/7 Other recently discovered mammals The Saola can only be found in Vietnam and Laos. It looks like a small deer and the first alive saola was discovered in 2010 AP 4/7 Other recently discovered mammals The Cypriot mouse is a species of mouse native to Cyprus. It was discovered in 2006 and has bigger hear, ears and teeth than European mice AP 5/7 Other recently discovered mammals A Macroscelides micus elephant shrew found in the remote deserts of southwestern Africa. The new mammal discovered in the remote desert of western Africa resembles a long-nosed mouse in appearance but is more closely related genetically Reuters 6/7 Other recently discovered mammals The Burrunan dolphin (Tursiops australis) is a species of bottlenose dolphin found in parts of Victoria, Australia and Gippsland Lake.It's believed that only 150 of them remain alive EPA 7/7 Other recently discovered mammals Paucidentomys Vermidax, a rat that doesn't gnaw. It was discoveres in Indonesia PA

“There's a whole range, probably hundreds and hundreds of species, not just in mammals but the birds, the insects, all sorts of species that are probably unknown to western science,” he added.

“We've really got to preserve those habitats because they're really valuable.”

Mr Ritchie had partnered with the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA) in the project, an organisation which aims to establish the mountain range as a conservation area to prevent “commercial logging and mining” as well as hunting of Tenkiles and Weimangs (Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos) by villagers.

They currently have roughly 50 villages signed up to its hunting moratorium.

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He confirmed to The Independent that the animals have not been formally classified yet.

“We will continue to survey the many unsurveyed mountain tops in the region, as well as repeat surveys of some through time to examine potential impacts of climate change.”

The researchers also managed to take pictures of the Hooded Pitohoui, "the only poisonous bird in the world. If you eat it or touch it you will react to the toxins in the skin of this bird but [it's] not life threatening,' Jim Thomas from the TCA said.

The Tenkile Tree Kangaroo numbered just 100 in 2003 - that has now doubled with the TCA's efforts, they say.