More than 300 species of animals and plants have been discovered in the Eastern Himalayas.  “New” mammals, fish, amphibians, birds, and plants have been added to the known list of organisms in the area, underlining the fact that this rugged, mountainous region of Asia is one of the most biologically rich places on earth.

     The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced recently that over the last decade, 350 new species have been discovered in the region that includes Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, northeastern India, and the far north of Burma.  

     Among the discoveries is the tiniest species of deer ever known, the leaf deer.  Initially thought to be a juvenile of another deer species, the adult leaf deer reaches a height of just 25-30 inches and weighs only about 24 pounds. 

     Also discovered was a bright green frog which “flies” through the air, thanks to its webbed feet.  And the first ‘new’ monkey species in more than 100 years, the Arunchal macaque, was also discovered .  A bird whose habitat appears to consist of a single square mile, at an altitude of 6,500-7,700 feet, was also discovered.  It has been named the Asian Babbler.  Then there is a catfish with a unique adhesive on its underside that allows it to stick to rocks in fast-moving streams.  

     A profusion of plants has also been discovered–species of poppy, orchid, and bamboo among them.

     “These exciting finds reinforce just how little we know about the world around us,” says Mark Wright, WWF’s conservation science advisor.  Further study of the eastern Himalayas would no doubt identify far more new species, according to Bittu Saghal, editor of Sanctuary Asia, a wildlife and environment magazine published in Asia.

     While the eastern Himalayas are one of the most diverse areas on earth, the region is also among the most vulnerable to impacts from global warming, as evidenced by rapidly retreating glaciers.  “Only time will tell how well species will be able to adapt–if at all,” says Wright.

     The WWF is urging the eastern Himalayan nations to work together for a region-wide vision of conservation and sustainable development.  WWF also calls on the governments who will be attending the climate change talks in Copenhagen this December to commit to carbon emission reductions of 40% below 1990 levels by 2020.

     “There is no room for compromise on this issue,” says Wright.  “Without these cuts, the Himalayas face a precarious future.”–April Moore

Asian babbler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 at 10:40 am and is filed under Insights and Visions on the State of the Earth. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.