Wildly coulored, "psychedelic" Gecko - Phnom Penh Post, Dec 14, 2011
The Mekong River region includes portions of China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Is so surprising that a new species is found every two days, according to various media reports.
New Species, but………..
Two-hundred and eight new species were discovered during the last year alone, including a multi-colored gecko and a black and white snub-nosed monkey with an “Elvis” hairdo.
The region is also home to some of the world’s most endangered species, including tigers, Asian elephants, Mekong dolphins and Mekong giant catfish.
Among the new finds of the last year are
- a lizard that reproduces via cloning without the need for males,
- a fish that resembles a gherkin,
- five species of carnivorous pitcher plant,
- some of which lure in and consume animals as large as rats and birds.
…..decline of biodiversity.
The extinction of the Javan rhino in Vietnam, recently confirmed by WWF, is one tragic indicator of the decline of biodiversity in the region. The Mekong’s wild places and wildlife are under extreme pressure from rapid, unsustainable development and climate change.
Active illegal trade of endangered species.
Despite restrictions, trade in wildlife remains an active threat to a range of endangered animals in the region with some hunted because body parts, rhinoceros horns being one example, are coveted ingredients in traditional Asian medicine.
Others, such as Mekong dolphins, face threats from fishing gear such as gill nets and illegal fishing methods; one dolphin population in the river is at high risk of extinction.
On the Net:
- WWF Greater Mekong
Source:
- redOrbit (http://s.tt/14PaW)