A walking f ish and 200 other new species
A ‘WALKING’ fish and a monkey that sneezes i n the rain are among 200 previously unknown species that have recently been discovered in the eastern Himalayas.
Researchers from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have revealed that over the past five years, 133 plants, 26 species of fish, ten new amphibians, one reptile, one bird and a mammal have all been discovered in the region, which covers parts of Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Tibet and India.
Perhaps the most bizarre is a ‘walking’ blue dwarf snakehead fish, which was found in Lefraguri swamp in West Bengal, India.
This creature breathes air, can survive on land for up to four days and can writhe and wriggle up to quarter of a mile over wet ground between bodies of water. The primitive fish has been dubbed ‘fishzilla’ because it is so aggressive. Naturalists have also discovered a type of snub-nosed monkey – or ‘Snubby’ as they nicknamed the species – in the remote forests of northern Burma. Locals said the monkey was easy to find when it was raining because it often got rainwater in its upturned nose, causing it to sneeze.
To avoid the problem, snub-nosed monkeys tend to spend rainy days sitting with their heads tucked between their knees, the WWF report said. Other discoveries include a bird named the spotted wren-babbler, a striking blue-eyed frog and a lance-headed pit viper snake with an ornate yellow, red and orange pattern.
However the report also warns of the threats facing the newly discovered species, as only a quarter of the original habitats in the region remain intact and hundreds of plants and animals living in the Eastern Himalayas are considered under threat.
Population growth, deforestation, poaching, mining, overgrazing, the wildlife trade, pollution, temperature change and the development of hydroelectric dams are all putting pressure on the natural habitat.
Dechen Dorji, of WWF Bhutan, added: ‘The discovery of 211 new species from one of the most biologically rich regions of the world is a celebration of the amazing gift of nature.
‘With discovery, comes the important responsibility to continue protecting and caring for these precious gifts.’