Flying frog among 353 new Himalayan species: WWF

KATHMANDU - A flying frog, the world's smallest deer and the first new monkey to be found in over a century are among 350 new species discovered in the eastern Himalayas in the past decade, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recently.

But the environmental group said the vital habitats of the mountain range were facing growing pressures from unsustainable development in the region, which spans Nepal, China, India, Bhutan and Myanmar.

The newly discovered red-footed tree frog with large webbed feet

In a report released here Monday, it said climate change, deforestation, overgrasing by domestic livestock and illegal poaching and wildlife trading threatened one of the biologically richest areas of the planet.

"In the last half-century, this area of South Asia has faced a wave of pressures as a result of population growth and the increasing demand for commodities," said the report, "The Eastern Himalayas - Where Worlds Collide."

"Only 25 per cent of the original habitats in the region remain intact. For the unique species of the Eastern Himalayas, this means that today 163 are considered globally threatened," it said.

The WWF said 353 new species were discovered in the region between 1998 and 2008, among them a red-footed tree frog known as a "flying frog" because its large webbed feet allow it to glide when falling.

Another new species was a kind of caecilian, a limbless amphibian that resembles a giant earthworm and lives underground - a significant discovery because caecilians are among the planet's least-studied creatures.

Other highlights were the world's smallest deer - a miniature muntjac standing just 60-80 centimetres (25-30 inches) tall that was found in northern Myanmar - and the first new monkey species to be discovered in over a century.

The WWF said the new species of macaque was one of the highest-dwelling monkeys in the world, living in India's Arunachal Pradesh state at between 1,600 and 3,500 metres (5,000 and 11,500 feet) above sea level.

Among the 242 new plant varieties discovered was an ultramarine blue flower found by two intrepid Chinese botanists who descended into a gorge in Tibet that is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in places.

The WWF described the rare bloom as "dramatic in both colour and form" and said its colour changed with the temperature, making it particularly remarkable. - AFP

Name: D.M. Janitha Hashan Senevirathna

Gender: Male

Age: 16 years

School: St. Joseph's College, Bandarawela

Hobbies: Collecting stamps, reading

novels

Pen-pals preferred from: any country

Age group: teenagers

Address: 235/1, Pahala Gediyarada, Kebillewela, North, Bandarawela, Sri Lanka.

*****

Name: H.W. Ashan Maduranga

Gender: Male

Age: 15

School: St. Joseph's College, Bandarawela

Hobbies: Collecting stamps, reading books, watching TV, playing cricket

Pen-pals preferred from: Sri Lanka, European countries, USA, Australia or any other country

Age group: 14-18

Address: No. 235/1, Pahala Gediyaroda, Kebillewela North, Bandarawela, Sri Lanka.

*****

Name: J.M. Janith Dinidu Bandara

Gender: Male

Age: 13

Hobbies: Collecting stamps, reading books

Pen-pal: America, England, Sri Lanka

Age group: 12-15

Address: No. 448, Layanal Fernando Avenue, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

*****

Name: P.M. Fathima Fasliha

Gender: Female

Age: 16

College: Student of British College of Applied Studies

Hobbies: Speaking English and sending SMS

Pen-pals preferred from: Switzerland, Dubai and Sri Lanka

Age group: 16-20

Address: 656/A, Balagolla, Kengalla, Kandy, Sri Lanka

*****

Name: Chamika Ishan Sudusinghe

Gander: Male

Age: 11 years

School: Rahula College, Matara

Hobbies: Collecting stamps, reading story books, history books and science books, playing all musical instruments and watching TV

Pen-pals preferred from: UK, USA, Singapore, Australia, Italy, France, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, China, Russia

Age group: 11-13

Address: No. 75/16, Abeygunarathna Mawatha, Pamburana, Matara, Sri Lanka

*****

Name: H.M.G. Nilthara Isurunie

Gender: Female

Age: 14

Hobbies: Reading books, watching TV, writing stories

Pen-pals preferred from: England, New Zealand, Japan, India, America, Canada and any other country

Age group: 14-20

Address: No. 33/3, Presbyterian Lane, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka

*****

Name: D.K. Malsha Madusika

Gender: Female

Hobbies: Playing netball and volleyball

Pen-pals preferred from: England and Australia

Age group: 12-14

Address: No. 45, Nidangala, Kotawila, Kamburugamuwa, Sri Lanka

*****

Name: Nipuna Kasun

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Hobbies: Collecting stamps, playing cricket, watching television and drawing pictures

Pen-pals preferred from: Sri Lanka or any other country

Age group: 13-18

Address: No. 352/1, Pahala Imbulgoda, Imbulgoda, Sri Lanka

*****

Name: M.G. Vinodya Kanchanamala Premalal

Gender: Female

School: Pilimathalawa Central College

Hobbies: Reading books, watching television, playing netball

Pen-pals preferred from: Sri Lanka, England, Australia, France, USA, India, New Zealand, Germany

Age group: Below 16

Address: No. 41/B2, Gangoda, Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka.