22 May 2023

Press Release

For immediate release

380 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong Region

290 plants, 20 fishes, 24 amphibians, 46 reptiles and one mammal have been newly discovered in one of Asia’s biodiversity hotspots in 2021 and 2022
Many of the species are already under threat of extinction from habitat loss, deforestation and the illegal wildlife trade
WWF is calling on governments to increase protection for these rare species and to commit to halting and reversing nature loss

A colour-changing lizard, a thick-thumbed bat, a poisonous snake named after a Chinese mythological goddess, an orchid that looks like a muppet and a tree frog with skin that resembles thick moss are five of the 380 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia in 2021 and 2022, according to a new report by WWF.

A report published today documents the work of hundreds of scientists from universities, conservation organisations and research institutes around the world who made the discoveries in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

This brings the total number of vascular plants, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals described in the Greater Mekong region since 1997 to 3,390.

With many of the species already under threat of extinction from human activities, WWF is calling on governments in the region to increase protection for these rare, amazing creatures and their habitats.

Mark Wright, WWF-UK’s director of science, said:

“These new findings remind us of the extraordinary diversity and inventiveness of nature which can provoke a childish wonder and delight in us all.

“Sadly, it is also a timely reminder of the extreme jeopardy that so many of these species and habitats face, and what we risk losing if urgent and committed action is not taken.

“We urgently need governments to recognise the value of nature and commit to halting and reversing its destruction by 2030.”

K. Yoganand, WWF-Greater Mekong regional wildlife lead, said:

“These remarkable species may be new to science but they have survived and evolved in the Greater Mekong region for millions of years, reminding us humans that they were there a very long time before our species moved into this region.

“We have an obligation to do everything to stop their extinction and protect their habitats and help their recovery.”

Globally species are under intense pressure from deforestation, habitat degradation, road development, loss of streams and rivers, pollution, diseases spread by human activities, competition from invasive species, and the devastating impacts of illegal wildlife trade. Sadly, many species go extinct before they are even discovered. 

In the UK, nature is under threat like never before. In the last 50 years, 38 million birds have vanished from UK skies, 97% of our wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s, and a quarter of all our mammals are at risk of extinction.

The UK is in the bottom 10% of countries globally for protecting nature and has an average of only 53% of its biodiversity left.

The nature crisis and climate change are two sides of the same coin, so protecting nature is key to stopping the destruction of our planet and our way of life.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Images available here
B-roll footage available here
Please ensure all images have the correct credit
To see the full species list for 2021 and 2022, go here.
Spokespeople available on request. 
Scientists typically wait to reveal new discoveries until a species is officially described as a new species – a time-consuming process – hence the lag between the initial discovery and announcement for some species spotlighted in the report.
This is the latest in a series of reports highlighting new discoveries in the Greater Mekong region. For past reports, go here.

Highlights of the report include:

The Cambodian blue-crested agama, an aggressive lizard that changes color as a defensive mechanism and described from lizards found near an Angkor era archaeological site.
Hayes’ thick-thumbed myotis, a mouse-eared bat with unusual fleshy thumbs that was named a new species after a specimen sat in a Hungarian museum for 20 years.
Khoi’s mossy frog, a large, spectacular find that is mossy-green coloured, which helps it blend into the lichen and moss-covered stony, leafy background
Dendrobium fuscifaucium, a miniature orchid with brilliant pink and bright yellow colouring that resembles the beloved “Mah na mah na” muppets.
Suzhen’s krait, an extremely venomous snake, named after Bai Su Zhen, a snake goddess from a Chinese myth called the Legend of the White Snake.
Cleyera bokorensis, an evergreen shrub threatened by a Cambodian casino, dam and residential development. 
Viet Nam’s Thai crocodile newt is threatened by agricultural encroachment and logging, and collection by communities as a traditional purported cure for abdominal pain and parasitic infection.
Thailand’s bent-toed gecko was named after a mythical tree nymph – Rukha Deva – that lives in trees and protects the forests. Discovered in the Tenasserim Mountains bordering Myanmar, It aggressively opens its mouth and waves its tail side-to-side when threatened.
A new species of gecko discovered in Laos’ capital city Vientiane, whose habitat is being fragmented by construction projects.
A semi-aquatic snake, Hebius terrakarenorum, found in the Dawna-Tenasserim Landscape between Thailand and Myanmar, is 650 mm long and was identified entirely from road-kill specimens collected over a decade and a few photos.