More than 220 new species discovered in the Mekong in one year

In the In just one year, scientists from all over the world have discovered 224 previously unknown animal and plant species in countries bordering the Mekong in Southeast Asia.

These include a two-tone gecko that looks like it’s been painted yellow on the front, and a pungent-smelling flower of the ginger family that’s used in Thailand as a substitute for stink bugs when making chilli paste.

This is the result of a WWF report published on Wednesday. In addition to 155 plants, 35 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 16 fish and one mammal were documented.

The mammal is about a monkey: The popa langur was identified as a separate species based on faecal samples and historical museum specimens. In 2018, the WWF and Fauna and Flora International (FFI) managed to take pictures of the rare animals with the technical name Trachypithecus popa, which are named after the extinct volcano Mount Popa in former Burma.

The total number of animal and plant species discovered in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar since 1997 is now 3007, according to the environmental protection organization. The Mekong region is undoubtedly a global heavyweight in the discovery of species, said the WWF.

The WWF report brings together the work of hundreds of scientists working for universities, conservation organizations and research institutes.

SDA