The above data has just been announced by WWF after collecting hundreds of research works by scientists from universities, conservation organizations and research institutes around the world in 2021 and 2022.
Accordingly, 290 plant species, 19 fish species, 24 amphibians, 46 reptiles and one mammal species were found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The discoveries contribute to bringing the total number of species found in the region to 3,390 since 1997.
The mossy frog has a mossy green coloration, which helps it blend in with the moss- and lichen-covered rocks.
Some species discovered and described in Vietnam include: Rhododendron tephropeploides - a white flower species discovered in Phan Xi Pang, the highest mountain peak in Vietnam, in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.
Xephoanthus nubigenus - “cloud flower”, is found in cloud-covered forests in Lang Biang plateau in Lam Dong province.
Theloderma khoii - mossy frog, a large and beautiful frog with a mossy green coloration that helps it blend in with mossy and lichen-covered rocks. This master of camouflage is found in deep, narrow valleys in the limestone mountains of Northeastern Vietnam.
Subdoluseps vietnamensis - a species of skink found in forests around acacia forests and rubber plantations in Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Binh Thuan provinces, southern Vietnam. Thanks to its ability to burrow under the sand, this species can avoid predators and fires.
Xenopeltis intermedius - a snake named after the iridescent scales on its body, was discovered at an altitude of 2,500m above sea level in the central Truong Son mountain range.
“Cloud flower” was discovered in Lang Biang plateau, Lam Dong.
“These new species are under great pressure from deforestation, habitat destruction, road development, pollution, and the spread of disease,” said Nguyen Van Tri Tin, Wildlife Conservation Program Manager of WWF-Vietnam. “The causes are determined to be human activities, competition with invasive species, and the devastating impact of illegal wildlife trade. Many species have become extinct before they were discovered.”
WWF - Vietnam calls for urgent action to prevent wildlife extinction by protecting their habitats, supporting the recovery of wild populations, re-wilding and stopping illegal wildlife hunting and trade.
Dr. Truong Q. Nguyen from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, also emphasized the need to take immediate action and increase the use of new technologies such as bioacoustics and gene sequencing technology to help scientists discover more species in this biodiversity hotspot.
“To reverse the alarming loss of biodiversity in the region, we need urgent, science-based and coordinated efforts and conservation solutions that are more in the interest of governments, NGOs and the public,” he said.
WWF is one of the world's leading conservation NGOs, with 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and build a future by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
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