Bidoup Nui Ba National Park’s hidden secrets

June 19, 2012 | 09:48

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A team of scientists from Australia, the US and Vietnam have recently discovered a new species of toad known to the scientific world as leptobrachium leucops, in Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

The toad is nocturnal, 4.5 cm long and has partially white pupils, ridges on its skin and stripes on its legs.

Earlier, the team has also found a new species of rhocophorus vampyrus or ‘vampire tree frog’ in the same park.

This is the 17 th species of rhacophorus vampyrus found so far in Vietnam .

Dr. Vu Quang Nam and his Chinese colleague Nian He Xia also recently announced they had discovered a new species of magnolia on Hon Giao Mount in the park.

The magnolia grows in evergreen forests at 2,000m above sea level.

Bidoup Nui Ba National Park is one of Vietnam’s 28 national parks that are protected because of their special scientific interest. It is one of 221 endemic bird areas in the world and is one of the country’s four centres of biodiversity.

It is also home to 1,470 species of plants, including 62 rare species, and 208 species of animals.

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