Myanmar monkey among the new species found in the Mekong region | Natural Issues

Popa langur was found on the slopes of a volcanic eruption in Myanmar among 224 new species listed by the World Wildlife Fund.

The monkey with white circles around its eyes is one of the 224 new species listed in the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) recently. the great Mekong region.

A report by a conservation group highlights the importance of protecting biodiversity and habitats in the region, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

The mentioned species were discovered in 2020, but last year’s report was delayed.

The proboscis monkey is known as the Popa langur, because it lives on the slopes of Mount Popa, which ends in Myanmar. He was the only new animal to be found.

There are also reptiles, frogs and new reptiles, fish and 155 species of plants, including the only known species of bamboo, found in Laos.

The Mekong is home to a wide variety of wildlife habitats and is home to tigers, Asian elephants, saola – an endangered species also known as the Asian unicorn or spindlehorn – and thousands of other species.

In Vietnam, researchers have also discovered a magnificent Mount Ky Quan San frog with a prominent horn over 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) at its peak.

In addition to the recent list, scientists have discovered 3,000 new species in the region since 1997, the WWF said.

The Popa long the report said it was based on the genetic makeup of recently collected bones and specimens from the British Natural History Museum that were collected more than 100 years ago. The two main distinguishing features were the wide white rings around his eyes and his beard pointing forward.

The WWF, working with Fauna and Flora International, captured images of monkeys using camera traps in 2018. FFI said they found them late last year.

Under threat

Warning of new varieties! 📣🥳

In 2020, 224 amazing species were discovered in the Greater Mekong by a group of scientists 🌏

Among them are the Mount Ky Quan San frog and the slug 👇🐸🐍 #MekongNewSpecies

Learn more here: https://t.co/fHTfvURRUD pic.twitter.com/ALjWhkvSst

– WWF UK (@wwf_uk) January 27, 2022

The proboscis monkeys are to be listed as endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the report said, with only 200-250 thought to survive in the wild, among the few. about the place.

Emphasizing the importance of such work, more than 38,000 of the 138,000 species of IUCN are in danger of extinction..

A new species of red-colored begonia and berry fruit was also found in the mountains of Myanmar, where illegal mining and logging have become a major threat to the country, which is embroiled in political turmoil following the war. about a year ago.

Despite tropical deforestation and the loss of wildlife, much of the Greater Mekong River remains untouched and every year new species are found — the prospect of extinction.

Not all new species are found within the forest. One of the newer plants is the ginger plant called the “stink bug” because of its unpleasant odor similar to the large beetles that Thais use to make chilli porridge and rice, the report said.

It was found in northeastern Thailand, a grocery store.