BRENT: ‘Walking’ fish, monkey that sneezes in rain are among 200 new species discovered in eastern Himalayas
A ‘walking’ fish and a monkey that sneezes in the rain are among 200 new species discovered in the eastern Himalayas.
The mountain range best known for Mount Everest, is home to a host of previously unknown creatures lurk in its woods, valleys and lakes.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has revealed that in the past five years, 133 plants, 26 species of fish 10 new amphibians, one reptile, one bird and one mammal have all been discovered in the region, which covers parts of Nepal, Bhutan, the far north of Burma, southern Tibet and north-eastern India.
Perhaps most bizarre is a vibrant blue dwarf ‘walking’ snakehead fish, found in Lefraguri swamp in West Bengal, India.
This creature breathes air, can survive on land for up to four days and can writhe and wriggle up to quarter of a mile over wet ground between bodies of water. The primitive fish has been dubbed ‘fishzilla’ because it is so aggressive.
Naturalists have also discovered a type of snub-nosed monkey – or ‘Snubby’ as they nicknamed the species – in the remote forests of northern Burma.
Locals said it was easy to find when it was raining because it often got rainwater in its upturned nose, causing it to sneeze.
