In the dark, Kristofer Helgen and a group of scientists peered up into the treetops of the Ecuadorian cloud forest. Staring back at them was a furry, four-legged creature. Could it be the mysterious, wild olinguito?

Helgen had been studying the olingo, a relative of raccoons, for years. As he examined their pelts and skulls in museums, he noticed differences in a few. Through scientific investigating, he realized the different examples weren’t olingos at all–he had discovered a completely new species.

Next, he just had to find it–if it still existed. Follow Helgen’s real-life science adventure through museums, laboratories, and the cloud forest as he makes an exciting modern discovery.