163 New Species Discovered in Asia
A World Wildlife Fund report released in late September, 2009 details the discovery over the last year of new species including 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 2 mammals and a bird.
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They were discovered in the Greater Mekong Region by a number of scientists.
One of the species is a fanged frog with a diet that includes small birds. It was found in Thailand. The research area covers Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and part of China. A tiger-striped pitviper was discovered accidentally by a mother and son research team, when the mother was resting her hand on a rock and her noticed the snake inches away.
Dekila Chungyalpa, Director of WWF’s Greater Mekong, stated: “These species have been in hiding for millennia and it’s finally their turn in the spotlight.”
Research there over the last 10 years was unearthed about 1,000 new species and has shown the region to be a biological frontier. Unfortunately, it is an area that is vulnerable to climate change effects. Some negative effects have already been observed. The new species live in rivers and jungle habitats, and they too could already being feeling the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion are two of the negative impacts that could damage the ecology.
Almost 10 percent of WWF’s critical conservation areas are found in the Greater Mekong. Around the world new species continue to be discovered at the same time many are going extinct due to habitat loss.
Image Credit: Thomas Ziegler / WWF Greater Mekong
