New Snake Species Located

[credit: Neang Thy/FFIU]

Reptile lovers will love the looks of this newly described snake species located in the Cardamon Mountains of Cambodia. The Cambodian kukri (Oligodon kampucheaensis) was named after its origin by native herpetologist, Neang Thy. Science was devastated by the genocidal Pol Pot regime according to Thy, so he is pleased to be able to present and describe a new species in honor of his country, Campuchea. Most kukris are dull brown, but this species is bright red with striking rings of black and white. "Kukri" is from the daggers of Nepal which are shaped similarly to the snake's fangs that it uses to puncture and eat eggs. The habitat of the newly described snake is one of the most diverse remaining rainforests in Southeast Asia. The Cardamon Mountains contain over 250 bird species as well as the Malayan sun bear, clouded leopard, Indochinese tiger and about 100 wild Asian elephants. The fact that unknown species can still found there argues persuasively for its protection and preservation. Deforestation even in protected areas is a problem in Cambodia with concessions still being granted for monoculture plantations and logging. Deforestation is at one of the highest rates in the world. Cambodia lost 9,700 square miles of rainforest between 1990 and 2005. Since 2007 less than 1,243 square miles of primary (old growth) rainforest remain and much desired by timber interests.

More:  A new paper (Zimmerman & Kormos) concludes that sustainable logging of rainforests is not economically viable or even practical given the complexities of tropical rainforest ecology. Just three rounds of logging resulted in the near extinction of desired wood species in all zones of tropical forest. When loggers plunder target trees and leave the surrounding forest undisturbed, the ecological balance responsible for nurturing those trees is disturbed. Most desired species are long lived and slow growing. They are sparsely scattered and rely on animal diversity for spreading their seed indicating large areas of undisturbed forest are vital to their survival. When these high value trees are removed, the remaining forest declines in economic value until lower level colonizers like monoculture plantations and ranches move in resulting in the clear cutting of the forest. It is an economic model similar to the one depleting the worlds ocean of fish. Low-impact logging advocated by some scientists as a "middle way" and subsidized by the UN REDD+ program is not an answer according to the study authors. Low-impact logging leaves 20-50% of the forest canopy open which has significant impacts on forest moisture. The species that replace the logged trees are frequently of low to no commercial value. Logging interests know this succession already; they engage in "cut and run" operations since they involve less expense and more short term gain. Truly sustainable forest cutting would require an interval of sixty years or more between cuts and be restricted to less than five trees per hectare. Such restriction are simply not economically sustainable on a commercial level. The study authors think selective logging by local communities is preferable to clear cutting for oil palm plantations or cattle pastures, but given that, industrial should not be subsidized since it leads in their opinion to eventual forest clearance. They suggest a temporary moratorium on cutting in primary rainforests might be helpful until a new economic model based on community logging with a long term stake in the health of the forests locals live near can be worked out and funded.