Ecological crisis threatens the Mekong sub-region

Scientists constantly discover new species in the Mekong sub-region, but this area is also facing the ecological crisis , the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) warns.

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A fisherman on the banks of the Mekong River. (Photo: britannica.com)

A WWF report, released yesterday, said new species are constantly exposed in the expanded Mekong subregion. For example, last year the scientific community discovered 208 new species in the Greater Mekong sub-region. On average, every two days, scientists discover a new species here. Among the newly found species are 145 plant species, 28 reptiles, 25 fish species, 7 amphibians, two mammals and one bird.

Many species, such as the snub-nosed monkey in Myanmar's Kachin state, are familiar to local people, but are not recorded in any scientific literature. A sandstorm species was discovered by accident when scientists read the menu in a restaurant in Vietnam. Leiolepis ngovantrii, the name of a virgin mite, can reproduce without a male. 5 species of carnivorous pitcher plants discovered in Thailand and Cambodia.

The report describes the Greater Mekong subregion as "one of the last areas on the planet where people can find new species". However, WWF also affirmed that the region's ecosystem is under increasing pressure from humans.

The virgin sand lizard Leiolepis ngovantrii was discovered by chance in Vietnam.

Sarah Bladen, a WWF spokesman in the Greater Mekong Subregion, said the region is still at risk of facing the "extinction crisis" although scientists continue to discover new species. According to her, many species may disappear before scientists know their existence.

"If the countries of the Greater Mekong sub-region have not yet found biodiversity to be valuable and worthwhile, then wild environments and species will disappear at an unbelievably fast pace , " said Ms Bladen. to speak.

WWF argues that the rhino is an extinct horn in Vietnam, the disappearance of 70% of tigers within a decade are developments that show the fragility of biodiversity in the Greater Mekong sub-region.

"The rapid and unsustainable development, the impacts of climate change are deeply affecting the biodiversity and ecological functions of the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Consequently, the livelihoods of several million people living on that ecosystem is also negatively affected , " the WWF report emphasized.

The Greater Mekong Subregion includes Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and China's Yunnan Province.