Mekong finds 224 new species

Survivors: The Popa langur are among the species discovered in Greater Mekong despite the ‘intense threat’ of habitat loss. — AP

A DEVIL-HORNED newt, drought-resilient bamboo and a monkey named after a volcano were among 224 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region in 2020, a conservation group said on Wednesday, despite the “intense threat” of habitat loss.

The discoveries listed in a report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) include a new rock gecko found in Thailand, a mulberry tree species in Vietnam, and a big-headed frog in Vietnam and Cambodia that is already threatened by deforestation.