Environment

Many New Species Found in Greater Mekong River Valley

by Amy Judd | December 16, 2008 at 11:44 am

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The Greater Mekong River Valley has just once again proven how important it is to save and preserve, as almost a thousand endangered or 'extinct' species have been discovered there, including striped rabbits, bright pink millidedes containing cyanide and a rat that most thought had become extinct almost 11 million years ago.

The River Valley is located along the Mekong River in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

A host of new species has been found in the area, which is so full of life that previously unknown animals and plants have been turning up at a rate of two a week for a decade.

At least 1,068 new species were identified in the Greater Mekong from 1997 to 2007 along with several thousand tiny invertebrates, the Times reports.

Annamite striped rabbits, or Nesolagus timminsi, with black and brown fur, were discovered in Vietnam and Laos in 2000 and are only the second species of striped rabbit to be identified.

Among the most bizarre to be discovered was a hot-pink, spiny dragon millipede, Desmoxytes purpurosea..

The millipedes have glands that produce cyanide to protect them from predators.

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MichaelLong

at 15:07 on December 16th, 2008

Paschen

at 15:30 on December 16th, 2008

Now that is fascinating, I hope they leave them alone.

Pythiian1

at 18:54 on December 16th, 2008

This is good news. It's remarkable that the rare giant catfish can still be found in the Mekong Delta River. Sadly, the Mekong is also quite polluted given sporadic preservation efforts.

nabucosound

at 01:01 on December 17th, 2008

In Si Pan Don, Laos, some village people hire services to take you into their boat go see the Irrawaddy dolphin. Although it is only at distant sight that you can see them, I remember the feeling I had at realizing that such noble animals still were working out in those overcrowded waters with so much traffic...

nabucosound has contributed a photo to this story.

Paul Craig Manchester

at 05:49 on December 17th, 2008

www.paulcraigphotography.com

This was taken in Luang Prabang in Laous near the border with Thailand. I went for a walk in the late afternoon sun and was struck by the many different people on the river and along the rivers edge. Fishermen cast there nets from the waters edge and from boats children played all around while many stalls were there should i need a rest break some water or a tropical smoothy or a meaty treat!

Paul Craig Manchester has contributed a photo to this story.

danesller0127

at 09:34 on December 17th, 2008

Very interesting amyjudd' Thank you very much!!!

The findings concreted the Greater Mekong's reputation as one of the world's most important storehouses of rare and exotic species and natural habitat...

According to a new report launched by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The fish, plants, amphibians, and mammals, including an 'extinc't rock-rat -- are under treat from dams, roads and developments.

References: ( http://www.divshare.com/folder/443367-922 )

Neil from Lindfield

at 04:16 on December 29th, 2008

The far south of Laos on the Mekong river. This fisherman was casting his net from a shallow boat as I passed in passenger boat going south towards Don Khong.

Neil from Lindfield has contributed a photo to this story.