Scientists discover 163 news species in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia

Scientists have discovered 163 new species in Southeast Asia, it has emerged.

A rainbow-headed snake and a dragon-like lizard are among the new discoveries in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia, according to the World Wife Fund for Nature (WWF).

The conservation group warned, however, that wildlife in the area was under threat from developers planning dams and mines.

The discoveries included a gecko in Laos with pale blue skin and a rare banana species discovered in northern Thailand that is critically endangered because of increasing deforestation.

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The new species include three mammals, nine amphibians, 11 fish, 14 reptiles and 126 plants.

The Greater Mekong, which stretches through Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and China, is home to some of the world’s most endangered species.

Rare or endangered animal parts, including tiger bones and rhino horns, are seen as collector’s items by some and are often used in traditional medicine.

In June, Thai wildlife authorities raided the Tiger Temple west of Bangkok, a popular tourist attraction, and discovered scores of dead tiger cubs, frozen tiger carcasses, skins and dead cubs in jars, as well as other protected species.

Jimmy Borah, wildlife programme manager for WWF-Greater Mekong, said the new species discovered were a reminder that there is hope at a time when extinction rates are increasing at an alarming rate.

He told Reuters: “The Greater Mekong region keeps reminding us that there are many incredible, unexplored areas, leading to new discoveries happening every year and it is crucial that we protect them before they are lost.”

A 2016 report by the WWF found that by 2020 global populations of fish, birds, amphibians, mammals and reptiles could have declined by two-thirds in just 50 years.

The Greater Mekong remains a global hub for illegal wildlife trade.

“Many collectors are willing to pay thousands of dollars or more for the rarest, most unique and most endangered species, often buying them at the region’s illegal wildlife markets,” said Mr Borah.

“To save them, it’s crucial that we improve enforcement against poaching and close illegal wildlife markets.”