A monkey previously declared extinct has recently resurfaced in the volcanic
area of Mount Popa, in Myanmar.
The monkey, dubbed the ghost monkey, belongs to a new species of Popa
langur, and was found based on genetic matching of bones with specimens from
the British Museum of Natural History collected more than a century ago.
Reporting from CNA, Wednesday (26/1/2022) this monkey has the main
characteristics that distinguish it from other types of monkeys, namely
having wide white circles around the eyes and having a mustache that points
forward.
In collaboration with Fauna and Flora International (FFI), the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) managed to record the once extinct monkey using a camera
in 2018. Then, FFI reported the discovery of this rare species at the end of
last year.
In their report, the researchers said that the ghost monkey is a candidate
for a critically endangered species on the Red List of the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the international organization for
the conservation of natural resources.
The reason is, currently there are only 200 to 250 monkeys that are
estimated to still survive in the wild. The Mekong region where the Popa
langur is found is a center of biodiversity and home to tigers, Asian
elephants and the saola, a very rare animal known as the Asian unicorn or
spindlehorn.
In addition, WWF also found dozens of reptiles such as horned newts,
big-headed frogs in Vietnam and Cambodia, fish, rock geckos in Thailand and
species of succulent bamboo plants known only to be found in Laos.
The findings, said WWF, are among 224 new species discovered in the Greater
Mekong region in 2020. So far, scientists have identified more than 3,000
new species in the region since 1997.
"(The) 224 discoveries signify the biodiversity of the Mekong region, which
includes Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, which is evidence of
survival in fragmented and degraded natural habitats," said WWF.
The team explained, they used measurements and samples from museum
collections to compare and identify key differences with newly discovered
animal and plant features.
"Study of such differences can help determine estimates of species and
threats to their survival," said Thomas Ziegler, curator of the Institute of
Zoology at the University of Cologne.
The WWF and FFI reports also say the Mekong is home to some of the world's
most endangered species and is at risk for habitat destruction, disease
caused by human activities, and the illegal wildlife trade.
In fact, the United Nations previously revealed that the wildlife trade in
Southeast Asia had increased again after being disrupted due to regional
restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"This species is an extraordinary, beautiful form of millions of years of
evolution, but is under serious threat, with many species becoming extinct
before they have even been described," said WWF Mekong regional leader K
Yoganand.
