Tiny Deer, Flying Frog Among 350 New Species Found in Himalayas

Tiny Deer, Flying Frog Among 350 New Species Found in Himalayas
Monday , August 10, 2009

KATMANDU, Nepal —

The world's smallest deer, a flying frog and catfish that stick to rocks — as well as more than 350 other species — have been discovered over the past decade in the Himalayas, making it one of the world's most biologically rich regions, an environmental group said Monday.

But researchers warn that the effects of climate change, as well as development, threaten the diverse habitat that supports these species.

"This enormous cultural and biological diversity underscores the fragile nature of an environment which risks being lost forever unless the impacts of climate change are reversed," said Tariq Aziz, the leader of the World Wildlife Fund's Living Himalayas Initiative, a regional conservation program that covers India, Nepal and Bhutan.

The WWF is calling on the countries to develop a conservation plan for the region — which also includes parts of Myanmar and Tibet — and for governments to give local communities more authority to manage the forests, grasslands and wetlands.

The group found that almost three-quarters of the discoveries between 1998 and 2008 were plants, including 21 new orchid species. But it also listed 16 amphibians, 16 reptiles, 14 fish, two birds, two mammals and at least 60 new invertebrates. Most of the discoveries have already been reported in peer-reviewed, scientific journals.

Among the most exciting was the miniature muntjac, the world's smallest deer species — standing just 25-30 inches tall and weighing about 24 pounds. Scientists at first believed the animal found in northern Myanmar was a juvenile of another species, but DNA tests confirmed it was distinct.

Scientists also found Rhacophorus suffry, a bright green frog in northeast India that uses its long, webbed feet to glide in the air. They also discovered two chocolate-brown catfish from Nepal that have evolved unique adhesive undersides to stick to rocks in fast-moving streams.

"It is astonishing to observe that a large number of new species of flora and fauna are discovered even today in the Himalayas," Nepal's forest and soil conservation minister, Deepak Bohara, said at the release of the report in Katmandu.

Further study of the eastern Himalayas would find far more new species, said Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia, a wildlife and environment magazine published in India.

"There will be close to 3,000-5,000 species that will be discovered if a systematic study is done over the next five years," he said.

Still, observers say there no reason to believe that the area is immune to the effects of climate change and development.

"While climate change has its impact, which is common to all other such hotspots, human-induced projects such as construction of 100-plus dams in such a fragile and relatively small area is going to worsen the situation further," said Anwarudin Choudhury of The Rhino Foundation in India.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,538783,00.html

Same article another magazine.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...res/index.html


Attached Photos

Litter Frog

Smith's litter frog , identified in 1999, one of five new frog discoveries in the Indian state of Assam, ranks among the most extraordinary-looking frogs in the world. Measuring only a few centimeters, this small frog has a giant pair of piercing, bulging and vivid golden eyes. Smith's litter frog was reportedly discovered in the Mayeng Hill Reserve Forest and Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Kamru District, Assam. (WWF)

Gumprecht's Green Pitviper

Officially discovered in 2002, Gumprecht’s green pitviper is venomous and capable of growing to over four feet in length. Scientists predict that larger specimens exist. The species is known to occur around Putao, at altitudes above 400m in the far north of Myanmar. There are some striking differences between the males and females of this species; females reach a greater size, with a thin, white or whitish-blue streak on the head, and deep yellow eyes; males are shorter, have a red stripe on the head, and bright red or deep red eyes. (WWF)

Zaw's Wolf Snake

Zaw’s wolf snake, discovered dwelling in forests and near streams at elevations of less than 1500 feet in Assam, India, including in the Garbhange Reserve Forest and in northern Myanmar. The black snake, with white bands, can grow to half a meter in length, and feeds mainly on geckos. (WWF)

Assamese Cascade Frog

Cascade frogs or torrent frogs as they are also known as, have adapted to life amongst the torrents, waterfalls and wet boulders that cascade out of Asia's rainforests. (Abhijit Das/WWF Nepal)