The report entitled 'Hidden Himalayas: Asia's Wonderland', records scores of new species found by scientists from various organizations across the region spanning Bhutan, north-east India, Nepal, the far north of Myanmar and the southern parts of Tibet.Emphasizing Nepal's share in the discovery, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation, Mahesh Acharya in the report has emphasized the need of conserving bio-diversity of the region.
"Its forests and perennials ensure continued access to water, energy, food and livelihood for more than half a billion people. Thus preserving the Eastern Himalaya's incredible biodiversity and natural resources is critically important not only for Nepal but for the entire South Asian region," noted Acharya.
The discovered species include 133 plants, 39 invertebrates, 26 fish, 10 amphibians, one reptile, one bird and one mammal. Some of the most striking discoveries include a vibrant blue dwarf 'walking' snakehead fish (Channa andrao) which can breathe atmospheric air and survive on land for up to four days, moving in a manner much clumsier than a smoothly slithering snake.
"I am excited that the region - home to a staggering number of species including some of the most charismatic fauna - continues to surprise the world with the abundant nature and pace of species discovery," said CEO of WWF-India and Chair of the WWF Living Himalayas Initiative, Ravi Singh.
The Himalayas harbor at least 10,000 plant species, 300 mammal species, 977 bird species, 176 reptiles, 105 amphibians and 269 types of freshwater fish. In addition to this, between 1998 and 2008, at least 354 new species in the Eastern Himalayas were found.
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