Wednesday December 18, 2024
PhysOrg —
A lizard with a name that sounds like it could star in Game of Thrones, a soft furred hedgehog, a high-altitude crocodile newt, a freshwater fish already well-known among aquarium enthusiasts, and a new genus of palm tree are just some of the of the 234 species described by scientists in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia in 2023, according to a report released today by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
With many of the species already under threat of extinction from human activities, WWF is calling on governments in the region to increase conservation of these rare, amazing creatures and their habitats.
The report documents the work of hundreds of scientists from universities, conservation organizations and research institutes around the world who discovered 173 species of vascular plants, 26 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 15 fishes and three mammals in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. This brings the total number of vascular plants and vertebrate animals described in the Greater Mekong region since 1997 to 3,623.
“Although these species were just described by science last year, they have been living in the unique habitats of our region for many millennia,” said Chris Hallam, WWF-Asia Pacific regional wildlife lead. “Each of these species is a critical piece of a functioning, healthy ecosystem and a jewel in the region’s rich natural heritage. And the researchers are equally as precious. They are working passionately and tirelessly to describe these species under trying conditions, unfortunately often with little resourcing.”