A “vampire hedgehog” without spines – and a mole that weighs only eight grams. They are two of the 234 new species discovered in recent years along the Mekong River, which flows from China in the north to Vietnam in the south.
But with new species also come new problems. In a report published on Monday, the WWF states that many of the newly discovered species are already threatened with extinction.
– It is very different how the populations look for these species. We can take the example of the dwarf palm that was discovered in Vietnam. There, only 10 to 15 plants have been seen in a very small area, so it is already acutely threatened, says Louise Carlsson, expert on biological diversity at WWF.
UN meeting ended prematurely
At the same time, the problem with endangered species extends further than the newly discovered ones. In recent years, the alarm about widespread species death has been pouring in.
At the same time, international collaborations on the issue have been characterized by disagreement. As recently as November, the UN summit COP16 – which dealt specifically with biodiversity – had to end prematurely as the parties could not come to an agreement.
– If we take the global picture, things are not going so well for biological diversity right now, says Louise Carlsson.
Hunting, fishing and trade
To get to the bottom of the problems, measures are required in several areas, says Carlsson. To begin with, the habitats of the species must be protected from the spread of humans, and it is also important to stop the overexploitation of the species themselves, she explains.
– This means that we don’t hunt them, that we don’t fish too much, or that we don’t trade too much with these species. It is also very important, because there is a large trade in wild animals and plants today.
Also important for humans
At the same time, the fact that the species remain can be seen as more important than ever. The global animal and plant life is already severely affected by climate change – and without it, the possibilities for humans to continue living on the planet also deteriorate, she explains.
– Not all species will make it through these climate changes and then you need as much variety as possible so that at least some species make it, says Carlsson.
– After all, all species have an important function and we need functioning ecosystems for us humans too, in order for us to survive. They ensure that we get everything from water to medicines to building materials. Most of what we use actually comes from nature.