Researchers Stunned After Finding Numerous Rare and Endangered Species in the 'Noah's Ark of Wildlife' in Cambodia
Researchers were astounded when a biodiversity survey of the Annamite Mountains unveiled the presence of multiple species on the verge of being wiped away from the face of Earth in the area. The mountains stretch across various countries like Laos, Vietnam, and northeast Cambodia, stated CNN. The region is around 3,000 square kilometers in area and has been adjudged a protected site by authorities. Before this survey, the region had not been examined much by experts. Hence population and variety of beings on the site remained relatively unknown. The survey conducted by conservation organization Fauna & Flora exposed the presence of rare and threatened species Sunda pangolin, the clouded leopard, and the sun bear as well as the existence of nine never-before-seen species in Cambodia in the mountains.
Annamite Mountains also known as the 'Amazon of Asia' was surveyed by the organization using several methods and corroborating multiple studies. They collaborated with local indigenous communities who were closely aware of the conditions in various areas of the forest. They were of huge help, but for regions where even these groups hadn't entered, the team took the help of technology. Around 150 cameras were placed in the entirety of the mountains to record species that had made the place their habitat. The cameras helped in capturing footage of large-antlered muntjac, a deer species that had only been observed before in Laos and Vietnam. "To find a large mammal in a country for the first time is really quite rare and exciting," said Pablo Sinovas, country director of Fauna & Flora’s Cambodia program.
The pursuit of examining the mountains was not easy by any means, but recording such rare species made the effort fruitful for experts, stated BBC Wildlife. "It reaffirms just how special this landscape is and how much there is still to uncover and protect. For me, the most exciting find was the large-antlered muntjac, one of the rarest and most threatened deer species. The fact that the camera trap photographing this species was in the most remote, hardest-to-reach corner of the national park made the huge logistical and physical effort to get there absolutely worth it," Sinovas added. Researchers also spotted three species of frogs in the mountains, two of which had never been seen before in Cambodia.
Experts analyzed DNA they collected from water sources in the region and found proof of around 161 species, according to CNN. Amongst these species was the dwarf loach, an endangered freshwater fish. Population assessment of the area revealed the presence of northern yellow-cheeked crested gibbon in the mountains. This primate has also been categorized as endangered and in the past had only been found in forested areas of southern Laos, northern Cambodia, and central Vietnam. Researchers claim that the park is the only location in Cambodia that houses both regionally endemic amphibians and reptiles, according to BBC. Amongst the flora of the mountains, experts spotted eight rare species of trees.
The number of endangered species found during the survey has made researchers claim that the mountains are the Noah’s Ark of wildlife, stated CNN. "The area had been virtually unexplored and there was almost no information about the biodiversity of Virachey National Park," Sinovas added. "We found several threatened species that, by definition, are not doing very well globally or within the country. This park has the potential to provide a good stronghold to make sure that they don’t go extinct."