In a remarkable discovery, scientists have identified over 230 previously unknown vertebrate and plant species in the Mekong region of Southeast Asia over the past year. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reported this significant finding, highlighting the contributions of hundreds of experts who documented 173 vascular plants, 26 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 15 fish, and 3 mammals within just twelve months.
This brings the total number of newly described species in the Mekong area to 3,623 since 1997, encompassing Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Among the most intriguing discoveries of 2023 are a well-camouflaged lizard (Laodracon carsticola), a rat-hedgehog species named Hylomys macarong after the Vietnamese term for vampire, and a green-black pit viper (Trimeresurus ciliaris) that appears to have long eyelashes due to its unique marbling.
However, many of these newly discovered species are already threatened by human activities. Stefan Ziegler, an Asia expert at WWF Germany, emphasized that these species have existed for thousands of years in the unique habitats of the Mekong region. He urged regional governments to enhance protections for these rare creatures and their habitats.
The biodiversity of the Greater Mekong Region is under severe pressure from habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. Despite the intense agricultural and forestry exploitation over the past 50 years, Southeast Asia, particularly around the Mekong River, is still regarded as a 'treasure trove of biodiversity'.