The Weird and Wonderful: 163 New Species Discovered!
Image source: guardian.co.uk
How would you like to come across a lizard with cat-like eyes, or perhaps a bird-eating frog with fangs? It may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but these creatures are real, and Southeast Asia is their home.
Since 2008, researchers working with the WWF organization have discovered 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 2 mammals and 1 bird in the Mekong River region. Along with the fanged frog and Cat Ba leopard gecko, the other new species include a tiger-striped pit viper, a tube-nosed bat named Murina harpioloides, and a bird given the strange name of Nonggang babbler.
Even though it may seem like a good thing that all of these new species are being discovered, it may mean bad news for the animals themselves. Due to the effects of climate change—ranging from droughts to floods—these animals’ habitats are becoming more and more threatened; which in turn can leave them more exposed to things like poaching, habitat destruction or pollution. The increase in the discovery of new animals alone can be contributed to access to areas that have seen years of war or political unrest.
“Some species will be able to adapt to climate change, many will not, potentially resulting in massive extinctions,” Chapman said in a statement. “Rare, endangered and endemic species like those newly discovered are especially vulnerable because climate change will further shrink their already restricted habitats.”
There is a bit more good news to all of this, however. During their period of exploration, they were also able to find 3 more areas in Vietnam where the endangered Grey-crowned Crocias (Crocias langbianis) can be found.
WWF intends to publish yearly information on the discovery of new species in the Mekong region. They will also be working to ensure that the forests and habitats of these animals are protected and preserved. With such an uprising in the finding of new flora and fauna in recent years, I can’t help but wonder how many other species are out there that we do not yet know about.
By Heidi Marshall
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Tags: darwin, species, Wildlife & Flora
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