Mekong

The Greater Mekong region is characterized by the life-giving Mekong River which starts in the Tibetan – Qinghai Plateau and makes its way through tropical evergreen forests that shroud Laos and Myanmar. After winding through Cambodia and Thailand it ends in the Mekong delta in Vietnam. This vast region contains irreplaceable treasures ranging from communities with rich cultural heritages to wildlife in spectacular natural landscapes. The Mekong region is home to almost 100 distinct ethnic groups that are heavily dependent on the river and its natural resources for protein as well as livelihoods. It is also habitat to a variety of species ranging from large mammals such as the Asian elephant to the Mekong giant catfish - the largest freshwater fish in the world - and the last remaining populations of the Irrawaddy dolphin.

The Lower Mekong Dry Forests once blanketed north-eastern Thailand, southern Laos, Cambodia and parts of Vietnam. While a majority of the land has been cleared for farming, remaining forests provide habitat to support an abundance of large mammals including tigers.

Lying to the east of the Mekong River are the Greater Annamites, which form a mountainous border between Laos and Vietnam, extending into Cambodia. These tropical evergreen forests are home to a diverse range of precious plants and animals - including some of the world’s rarest species.

WWF's vision: Secure a future where people’s daily actions support biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of renewable natural resources, thereby safeguarding the species, the habitats and the natural ecosystems, on which the people and wildlife of the greater Mekong region depend.