Vietnam accounts for more than half of new species discovered in the greater Mekong subregion
These new species are under great pressure from deforestation, habitat destruction, road development, pollution, diseases spread by human activities.
Begonia catbensis, discovered in the limestone islands of Cat Ba National Park, has less than 200 mature individuals in a very limited distribution. Scientists say this is a rare species, conservation rating at endangered. Photo: VAST
In a report on the discovery of new species in the greater Mekong subregion, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said that in the two years 2021-2022, scientists have discovered 380 species of plants with vascular and vertebrates in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Specifically, there are 290 species of plants, 19 species of fish, 24 species of amphibians, 46 species of reptiles and one species of mammal.
In which, Vietnam accounts for the largest number with 158 new species.
According to the Report, some new species in Vietnam can include the Begonia catbensis species discovered in the limestone islands of Cat Ba National Park; new frog species Quasipaa taoi was recorded on Ngoc Linh Mountain, the highest mountain in Central Vietnam with an altitude of 2,598m; Khoi frog (Theloderma khoii) was discovered in Ha Giang province in the northeast of Vietnam, etc.