കWhite monkey around the neck. The snake that feeds on ocher. So the Mekong region has a story to tell about biodiversity. These were 224 new species found by the World Wildlife Fund in the Greater Mekong area. Mekong is a region that includes Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. A report released last Wednesday by the World Wildlife Fund, a wildlife conservation organization, highlights the need to protect biodiversity in Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.
New species alert! ????????
In 2020, an incredible 224 species were discovered in the Greater Mekong region by a group of scientists ????
Among them are the Mount Ky Quan San horned frog and slug snake ???????????? #MekongNewSpecies
Find out more here: https://t.co/fHTfvURRUD pic.twitter.com/ALjWhkvSst
— WWF UK (@wwf_uk) January 27, 2022
Although such a wide variety of species was discovered in 2020, the report was delayed. The only mammal found in Myanmar’s pope langur is the endangered Mount Poppa volcano.
New species of reptiles and frogs have been discovered. The list also includes 155 species of plants. Mekong is home to a large variety of species of Asian elephants, tigers and more. The region also has a rare Asian unicorn. Since 1997, researchers have identified about 3,000 species in the area. Scientists used samples from museum collections to compare features of newly discovered animals and plants.
Twin Slug Sneak | Photo-AP
The researchers said that studying the differences and characteristics of new species could help identify the factors that threaten their survival. Some of the species found are endemic to more than one country. The Orange Twin Slug Sneak is an example of this. Popa Langur, a species of monkey, is listed as endangered by the IUCN. There are only 200-250 left in the world.
Content Highlights: 224 new species found in mekong region