WWF Discovery: Sneezing Monkey and Walking Fish
The conservation group of WWF made recent discovery of numerous species of creatures in the fragile eastern Himalayan region, which was in excess of 200 in numbers. It included surprising varieties like the monkey with continues sneezing activity during rains and the “walking” fish, which were great revelations. It comes as a result of the wildlife discovery and survey conducted by WWF conservation group, which was carried by scientists in the area covering Northeast India, Nepal, Bhutan, Southern Tibet and north Myanmar. It was done for the sole purpose of creating awareness to minimize the hazards that were faced by the ecologically responsive region. It describes about amazing species of fish that are blue-colored and are termed “walking snakehead fish”, which breathe air and are able to survive out of the water for 4 days and can slide to a distance of 400 meters or a quarter mile on wet land.
Many other species are included like the pit viper with its flamboyant red, yellow and orange color can pass for jewelry. The other interesting item is the fresh-water “Dracula” fish showing fangs like novel types of bananas. The “Sneezing monkey” was located in 2010 by scientists in the woods of northern Myanmar, which were of black and white color with upturned noses causing them to sneeze during rains. They were found to sit with their heads properly tucked in between knees especially on rainy days to keep away from water reaching their upturned noses.
Many species were discovered during the period between 2009 and 2014 totaling to 211 numbers. It contained 133 plant varieties, 26 types of fish, 10 amphibians, 39 invertebrates, single reptile, bird and mammal. WWF warned about continuing threats to these species and placed a comprehensive report about certain factors responsible for the same. The reasons are over population, overgrazing, deforestation, poaching, mining and hydropower generation.
The report further added that only 25 percent of original environment of the area has remained unaffected by the global threat where hundreds of species are terribly affected. The report goes on to quote Sami Tomikoski, Head of the WWF Living Himalayas Initiative and adds that the main challenge is to protect the threatened ecosystem so that all these species, even unknowns are not lost forever.
The report urges for intense and continuous development in the area and especially the requirement for green hydropower projects and valued government assistance so that communities get used to climatic changes.