Hundreds of different species of animals were unexpectedly discovered in forest thickets

“We found 700 different species,” say scientists: Cambodia’s mangroves contain an amazing diversity of wildlife. Hairy-nosed otters and fishing cats are among an astonishing variety of creatures living in endangered habitats.

One of the most comprehensive studies of biodiversity ever carried out on mangrove forests has found that these key, endangered habitats are home to an astonishing diversity of wildlife, The Observer writes.

Hundreds of species – from bats to birds, from fish to insects – have been identified during the study of the Peam Krasop Nature Reserve and the adjacent Koh Kapik Ramsar Site in Cambodia. The study, which was funded by Fauna and Flora International, recorded hairy-nosed otters, smooth-coated otters, large-spotted civets, long-tailed macaques and fishing cats, as well as a wide range of bat species. The diversity of wildlife amazed biologists.

“We found 700 different species in these mangrove forests, but we suspect we haven’t even scratched the surface,” said Stephanie Roge, leader of the research team, whose report was published Sunday. “I am confident that if we could explore this area even deeper, we would find 10 times more.”

Mangrove forests form narrow strips of scrubland along coastlines in tropical and subtropical latitudes. They are important because they consist of trees that have adapted to grow in salt or brackish water, which most other plants cannot tolerate. However, over the past few decades, the planet has lost about 40% of its mangrove forests, which were often cut down to make way for beach resorts or agriculture.

However, mangroves play a critical role in protecting the land and its inhabitants. For example, their waters are home to fish of commercial importance. “We found juvenile barracuda, snapper and grouper in these waters,” said Rog. “They are obviously important fish breeding grounds and provide food for local communities as well as supplies for commercial fisheries.”

Mangroves also protect hinterland areas from tsunamis and storms, sequester carbon much more efficiently than other types of forests, and provide refuge for vast numbers of animals, according to a new study that made extensive use of camera traps, nets, fish and insect data, and Cross-sectional studies were conducted. along a straight line drawn through the landscape.

A key example of a strange species found in Cambodian mangrove forests is the fishing cat, Prionailurus viverrinus. Slightly larger than house cats, it is powerfully built, with short limbs and a stocky body, and – unlike most other cats – it swims happily. Its front toes are partially webbed and its claws project forward, which helps it catch prey, mainly fish and rats, which it stalks by hiding in the roots of mangrove trees.

“It’s very rare to see a fishing cat, and we only knew that it lived in the forest from photographs taken by our camera traps,” says Rog. “Mangroves are places where there are a lot of roots and dirt and are difficult for humans to penetrate, so they provide valuable refuge for these vulnerable animals.”

An even rarer animal, the hairy-nosed otter, has also been photographed by camera traps in some old parts of the mangrove forest. Lutra Sumatran uses the hairs around its nose to detect its prey, which consists of crustaceans, mollusks and other creatures.

It is Asia’s rarest otter and is critically endangered, which is a major concern, Rog said. “The mangrove forest is based on all the interconnected relationships between species, and if you start killing off some of those species, you will gradually disrupt the functioning of the forest.”

The study, which was also supported by Fishing Cat, a conservation organization, found 74 forest-dwelling fish species and 150 bird species, of which 15 are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Red List is on the verge of extinction.

Scientists say mangroves play a key role in preserving ecosystems as they act as a two-way barrier between land and sea. They slow soil erosion into the ocean and protect coastal communities from floods and storms.

“But there’s more to it than that,” adds Rog. – Mangrove forests are beautiful, rich, mysterious and bring so much life. They are much more than just an ecosystem that provides carbon reduction or coastal protection. They are truly beautiful in their own right. For me there is no better feeling than being in this unique, mythical forest, knowing that there is still so much to discover, that there is another world waiting to be discovered.”