Biodiversity

Animals

Last Irrawaddy dolphin in northeastern Cambodia dies

The last known endangered freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin on a stretch the Mekong River near Cambodia’s border with Laos died this week, after it was reported snagged in a fishing net, wildlife officials and villagers in the Southeast Asian countries said. “We are deeply saddened by the ...

RFA Staff

Ghostly monkey, succulent bamboo among new species in Mekong

A monkey with ghostly white circles around its eyes is among 224 new species listed in the World Wildlife Fund’s latest update on the greater Mekong region. The conservation group’s report, released Wednesday, highlights the need to protect the rich biodiversity and habitats in the region, which ...

ELAINE KURTENBACH

Rhino horns pierce a wall between crime and affluence in Vietnam

A suspicious package listed as textiles arrived at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport in July 2019. For fabric, the parcel was heavy, weighing in at 126.5 kilograms (278.8 pounds). Customs officials flagged the goods. On inspection, police found 55 rhino horns encased in plaster. An investigation ...

GOVI SNELL

Greater Mekong primates struggle to cling on amid persistent threats: Report

When scientists described the Popa langur (Trachypithecus popa) as a species new to science in 2020, it was already staring extinction in the face. Fewer than 260 of the fluffy gray leaf-eating monkeys are estimated to remain across four precariously isolated patches of forest on Myanmar’s central ...

Carolyn Cowan

Endangered ‘barking deer’ strikes a pose for conservationists

The spots on the back of the large-antlered muntjac may have given it away as a fawn, but the photo of the deer suckling from its mother served as confirmation. Photographs of the moment are the first known images of a large-antlered muntjac fawn in Cambodia. ...

ANTON L. DELGADO

Scientists step up hunt for ‘Asian unicorn’, one of world’s rarest animals

Weighing 80-100kg and sporting long straight horns, white spots on its face and large facial scent glands, the saola does not sound like an animal that would be hard to spot. But it was not until 1992 that this elusive creature was discovered, becoming the first ...

Veronika Perková

Thai construction tycoon jailed for poaching protected animals

Thailand’s supreme court has sentenced construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta to two and a half years in prison without probation on charges related to the poaching of protected animals, a prosecutor told Reuters news agency. Premchai, president of Thai construction company Italian-Thai Development, was found guilty on ...

AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

Thailand endorses projects for the conservation of marine mammals

The government is proceeding with conservation and management efforts for marine mammals by enforcing regulations that are in line with international practices, to prevent negative effects on Thai seafood exports. Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon presided over a meeting of the National Fishery Committee, which gave an endorsement to urgent projects ...

Pattaya Mail

The Greater Mekong region: A hotspot of wildlife and crime

Did you know that illegal logging can be five times as lucrative as selling the world’s most well-known soda? In 2020, the Coca-Cola company reported $33 billion in revenue. The global illegal timber trade, in comparison, generates up to $152 billion a year — accounting for up ...

Sheryl Lee Tian Tong

The young Vietnamese helping tackle the illegal wildlife trade

Standing on top of a four-wheel drive looking out at a central Kenyan wildlife reserve wearing a bucket hat and walking boots, Trang Nguyen stands apart from most Vietnamese who prefer European charm and East Asian wonders for their holidays and photographic memories. But Trang is ...

Sen Nguyen

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