The Wild Things
Take Action
Travel
Adopt a Mekong Dolphin
Support WWF
|
 |
Mekong
Results
Our successes in the greater Mekong are the direct result of our partnerships with local communities, governments, and international agencies that have identified mutual solutions to bridge the needs of development with conservation. From source to sea, WWF protects the future of this amazing river and its diverse habitats.
Species discoveries
The discovery of the saola in 1992 – one of only five large mammals discovered in the last 100 years - began years of unparalleled finds in the jungles of Indochina. Surveys by WWF, the Ministry of Forestry, and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute of Vietnam in the mid-1990s revealed two additional ruminant species; a medium-sized deer that is closely related to the common muntjac and the Truong Son muntjac, what may be the smallest muntjac species
In September 2007, WWF scientists announced the discovery of 11 new animal and plant species in a remote area of central Vietnam. Within the ancient tropical forests of the region known as Vietnam's "Green Corridor," scientists found a snake, five orchids, and two butterflies as well as three other plants new to science and exclusive to the Annamites Mountain Range. Ten other plant species, including four orchids, are still under examination but also appear to be new species.
The new snake species, called the white-lipped keelback, has a beautiful yellow-white stripe sweeping along its head and red dots covering its body. It can reach 31 inches—almost a yard in length.
Three of the new orchid species are entirely leafless, a rarity even among orchids. Containing none of the chlorophyll or green pigment commonly found in plants, these orchids live on decaying matter like many fungal species. The other new plants include an aspidistra which produces a nearly black flower and a newly-discovered species of arum with beautiful yellow flowers. Arum plants have funnel-shaped leaves surrounding the flowers.
The two new butterfly species are among eight discovered in the province since 1996. One is a skipper – a butterfly with quick, darting flight habits—from the genus Zela and the other is a new genus in the subfamily of Satyrinae.
According to WWF experts, all of these species are at risk from illegal logging, hunting, unsustainable extraction of natural resources and conflicting development interests. However, local authorities – in particular the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Forest Protection Department – have committed to conserve and sustainably manage these valuable forests.
New reserves for the elusive saola
In October 2007, two new reserves were created in Vietnam's rugged Annamite Mountains to protect the saola, one of the world's rarest animals. Only eleven have ever been recorded alive and fewer than 250 are estimated to exist today.
The new reserves are the result of a saola conservation plan that was approved by the provincial People's Committees in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces. The reserves are roughly the size of Yosemite National Park and form a continuous protected landscape stretching from the Vietnamese coast to Xe Sap National Biodiversity Conservation Area in Lao PDR.
Partnering with industry
In 2007, WWF and The Coca-Cola Company launched a multi-year partnership to conserve and protect freshwater resources. The $20 million commitment from The Coca-Cola Company to WWF will be used to help conserve seven of the world's most important freshwater river basins (including the Mekong), support more efficient water management in the company's operations and global supply chain, and reduce its carbon footprint. Through the partnership, The Coca-Cola Company has made a pledge to replace the water it uses in its beverages and their production.
Notable Accomplishments
1990s
- Established and implemented Vietnam’s first provincial Biodiversity and Natural Resource Conservation Strategy through the MOSAIC project. Today, this approach has been adopted by three other Vietnamese
- Discovered a new, large mammal species, the saola
2000s
- Established 2.5 million acres of dryforest habitat as protected areas in the Eastern Plains Landscape of Cambodia—it is one of the largest of its kind in Asia
- Helped establish a transboundary agreement between Laos and Thailand to reduce overfishing and improve management of an important stretch of the Mekong River to enhance protections for the Mekong giant catfish
- Developed guidelines for road construction in the floodplains of the Lower Mekong Basin to make future road structures more flood-resistant and provide greater through-flow capacity while reducing negative environmental impacts
Click the globe to explore WWF's work
