BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE


The recent scientific discovery of two new large mammals means that the country's natural heritage could be far richer than previously thought.



V

ietnam has been identified as one of Asia's most biologically important countries. Its wide range of habitats - from the coastal region to the rugged central highlands, and from the flat swampy deltas of the Mekong and Red River to the temperate mountains of the northwestern provinces - has given rise to the country's rich and diverse wildlife, much of which is endemic.


Some 7,000 plant species have been identified out of an estimated 12,000. As many as 2,300 plant species are valuable as food, medicine, animal fodder, and timber. Much of Vietnam's flora takes on distinctive local forms, with many endemic species confined to small areas and occurring in small numbers, thus making them highly susceptible to extinction.


The wild fauna of Vietnam includes 275 species of mammal, 180 reptiles, 80 amphibious species, 773 bird species, many hundreds of fishes, and many thousands of invertebrate species. Like the plants, these faunal groups also show a high degree of local distinctiveness. Large spectacular animals found in Vietnam include the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), kouprey (Bos sauveli), gaur (Bos gaurus), and banteng (Bos javanicus), all of which are endangered.


Important endemic species include the Vietnamese or Vo Quy's pheasant (Lophura hatinhensis), Edwards' pheasant (Lophura edwardsi) and Tonkin snub­nosed The map of Vietnam monkey (Pygathrix avunculus), while near­endemic species (species found only in Vietnam and one or two adjacent countries) include the douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus), crested gibbon (Hylobates concolor), François leaf monkey (Presbytis françoisi), Owston's banded civet (Chrotogale owstoni), pygmy loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus), and Germain's peacock pheasant (Polyplectron germaini).


The scientific discovery of the Vu Quang ox or saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) and the giant muntjac (Megamuntiacus vuquangensis), in 1992 and 1994 respectively, has boosted the number of mammal species found in Vietnam. It also means that the country's natural heritage could be far richer than previously thought.




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Copyright 1996, The World Wide Fund For Nature