Murina kontumensis bat, a newly-discovered species. (Photo: WWF)HCMCity (VNA) - Vietnam accounts for 87 of the 163 new species ofanimals and plants discovered in the Greater Mekong region, according to areport released early this week by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Anew frog measuring less than 3cm long, which took 10 years to be confirmed as anew species, a rainbow-headed snake, a dragon-like lizard and a newt that lookslike a “Klingon from the movie Star Trek” are four of the 163 speciesdiscovered.
Thereport, titled Species Oddity, documents the work of hundreds of scientists whodiscovered nine amphibians, 11 fish, 14 reptiles, 126 plants and three mammalsin Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Thediscoveries also include a bat found in the Central Highlands of Vietnam withthick and woolly fur on its head and forearms, a rare banana species fromThailand, a tiny frog from Cambodia and a gecko with pale blue spotted skin andpiercing dark eyes that was found hiding among the remote mountains of Laos.
Thisbrings the total new species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, andamphibians discovered in the region to 2,409 since the WWF began compiling newspecies reports in 1997.
“TheGreater Mekong region is a magnet for the world’s conservation scientistsbecause of the incredible diversity of species that continue to be discoveredhere,” Jimmy Borah, wildlife programme manager at WWF-Greater Mekong, said.
“Thesescientists, the unsung heroes of conservation, know they are racing againsttime to ensure that these newly discovered species are protected.”
TheGreater Mekong region is under intense development pressure from mines to roadsto dams, threatening the survival of the natural landscapes that make it sounique.
Poachingfor meat and the multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trade puts additionalpressure on the region’s wildlife, meaning many species could be lost beforethey are even discovered.
“Vietnamis one of the most bio-diverse countries in the region, and the discovery of 87new species shows that there are still more amazing discoveries to unlock. Butwe are currently faced with a huge demand for wildlife for consumption in Vietnam,”Van Ngoc Thinh, country director of WWF-Vietnam, said.
“Tosave these species, improving law enforcement, stopping illegal poaching,closing illegal wildlife markets and farming of wild rare and endangeredspecies such as tigers and bears will be crucial.”
WWF-Vietnamrecently launched an emergency Asian Elephant Conservation Plan in co-operationwith the Yok Don National Park, which has the largest wild elephant populationin Vietnam.
Atthe regional level, the WWF recently launched an ambitious project to disruptthe trade by closing down the biggest markets in the Greater Mekong region.
Workingwith partners and across borders, WWF seeks to reduce illegal trade in keythreatened species like elephants, tigers and rhinos by promoting speciesprotection legislation, supporting effective trans-boundary co-operation andimproving the effectiveness of law enforcement at key border crossings.-VNA
Anew frog measuring less than 3cm long, which took 10 years to be confirmed as anew species, a rainbow-headed snake, a dragon-like lizard and a newt that lookslike a “Klingon from the movie Star Trek” are four of the 163 speciesdiscovered.
Thereport, titled Species Oddity, documents the work of hundreds of scientists whodiscovered nine amphibians, 11 fish, 14 reptiles, 126 plants and three mammalsin Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Thediscoveries also include a bat found in the Central Highlands of Vietnam withthick and woolly fur on its head and forearms, a rare banana species fromThailand, a tiny frog from Cambodia and a gecko with pale blue spotted skin andpiercing dark eyes that was found hiding among the remote mountains of Laos.
Thisbrings the total new species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, andamphibians discovered in the region to 2,409 since the WWF began compiling newspecies reports in 1997.
“TheGreater Mekong region is a magnet for the world’s conservation scientistsbecause of the incredible diversity of species that continue to be discoveredhere,” Jimmy Borah, wildlife programme manager at WWF-Greater Mekong, said.
“Thesescientists, the unsung heroes of conservation, know they are racing againsttime to ensure that these newly discovered species are protected.”
TheGreater Mekong region is under intense development pressure from mines to roadsto dams, threatening the survival of the natural landscapes that make it sounique.
Poachingfor meat and the multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trade puts additionalpressure on the region’s wildlife, meaning many species could be lost beforethey are even discovered.
“Vietnamis one of the most bio-diverse countries in the region, and the discovery of 87new species shows that there are still more amazing discoveries to unlock. Butwe are currently faced with a huge demand for wildlife for consumption in Vietnam,”Van Ngoc Thinh, country director of WWF-Vietnam, said.
“Tosave these species, improving law enforcement, stopping illegal poaching,closing illegal wildlife markets and farming of wild rare and endangeredspecies such as tigers and bears will be crucial.”
WWF-Vietnamrecently launched an emergency Asian Elephant Conservation Plan in co-operationwith the Yok Don National Park, which has the largest wild elephant populationin Vietnam.
Atthe regional level, the WWF recently launched an ambitious project to disruptthe trade by closing down the biggest markets in the Greater Mekong region.
Workingwith partners and across borders, WWF seeks to reduce illegal trade in keythreatened species like elephants, tigers and rhinos by promoting speciesprotection legislation, supporting effective trans-boundary co-operation andimproving the effectiveness of law enforcement at key border crossings.-VNA
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