A monkey named after an extinct volcano, a “stink bug” flower that doubles as a dipping sauce, a knobby newt, and a big-headed frog are four of the 224 new species discovered by scientists in the Greater Mekong region in 2020.

With many of the species already under threat of extinction from habitat loss, deforestation, and illegal wildlife trade, WWF is calling on governments in the region to increase protection for these rare, amazing creatures. 

The report documents the work of hundreds of scientists from universities, conservation organisations and research institutes around the world who discovered 155 plants, 16 fishes, 17 amphibians, 35 reptiles and one mammal in the Greater Mekong region, comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. This brings the total number of vascular plants, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals described in the Greater Mekong since 1997 to 3,007.