Expeditions in the Greater Mekong Reveal Dozens of New Animals
Conservation organizations have discovered dozens of new species – about three a week, on average – in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia, including portions of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and China. Here's a look at some of the most striking new species of frog, snake, lizard, bird, fish – and mammal. (8 new photos!)
By Dan Shapley
The Greater Mekong Region
Wet tropical mountains and valleys like these, the Dawna-Tenasserim mountains on the Thai-Myanmar border, are fertile grounds for the discovery of species that are new to science. Heavily forested and remote, the incredible biodiversity of the region is nonetheless threatened by dam- and road-building projects, logging and agriculture, and unsustainable hunting.
Bare-faced Bulbul
"Asia's only bald songbird," as WWF describes it, the bulbul was found in 2009 in Laos by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Melbourne. While its karst limestone habitat may be at risk fro quarrying (it was found on a scientific expedition sponsored by Australian mining company MMG), its relatively large range and apparently strong population numbers mean it is not at risk of extinction, according to Birdlife International.
Stone-Sucking Fish
Found in These new species of the Oreoglanis genus were found in rocky, fast-flowing streams all over Thailand, these Oreoglanis fish are known as "stone-sucking" fish to the locals.
Eleryi's Tube-Nosed Bat
A bat first described in 2009 by scientists at the Harrison Institute, Eleryi's tube-nosed bat is native to Vietnam.
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