New endemic species found in Binh Thuan
A new species of gecko lizard has
recently been discovered by the Ta Cu Nature Reserve in Ta Cu mountain
in the southern province of Binh Thuan.
The new
endemic gecko lizard, Gekko takouensis sp. nov. Ngo & Gamble, which
belongs to the gekkonidae family, was named after two scientists--Ngo
Van Tri, an expert of the Department of Environmental Management and
Technology under the HCM City Institute of Tropical Biology (HITB), and
Tony Gamble, a US doctor in Minnesota University, for their discovery.
This is the second endemic gecko lizard found on Ta Cu mountain. The
other is bent-toe gecko named Cyrtodactylus takouensis Ngo & Bauer.
According to Dr Vu Ngoc Long, Director of HITB’s Bio-diversity and
Development Centre, there are at least 25 species of endangered animals
at the Ta Cu Nature Reserve.
In an effort to protect the important nature reserve, a project has
been launched to improve management capacity of local authorities and
raise people’s awareness of protecting environment./.
