WWF: New animal, plant species found in Vietnam

Scientists have discovered 11 new species of animals and plants in a remote area in central Vietnam, conservation group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said .The species were found in the Thua Thien Hue Province - a region known as the Green Corridor. They include two butterflies and a snake, as well as five orchids and three other plants, all of which are exclusive to tropical forests in Vietnam's Annamites Mountain Range, said the Swiss-based organization in a press release. The new snake species, called the white-lipped keel back, tends to live by streams where it catches frogs and other small animals. It has a beautiful yellow-white stripe that sweeps along its head and red dots cover its body. It can reach about 80 cm in length. The butterfly species is the eighth discovered in the province since 1996. One is a skipper - a butterfly with quick, darting flight habits - from the genus Zela, another is a new genus in the subfamily of Satyrinae. Three of the newly discovered orchid species are entirely leafless, which is rare for orchids. They contain no chlorophyll and live on decaying matter, like many fungal species. According to the WWF, all these species are at risk from illegal logging, hunting, unsustainable extraction of natural resources and conflicting development interests. However, the Thua Thien Hue Province authorities - in particular the Forest Protection Department - have committed themselves to conserving and sustainably managing these valuable forests.

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