A scientific expedition in Peru meant to help evaluate wildlife conservation needs in the country's Alto Mayo forest accidentally discovered 27 species previously unknown to science. Conservation International's Rapid Assessment Program identified four new mammals, eight fish, three amphibians, and ten butterfly species during the survey.
As reported by People, during the expedition's five-week survey, scientists recorded more than 2,000 species in the "human-dominated" Peruvian rainforests. A sizable 27 species are new to science while an additional 48 species are "potentially new to science pending further research," the expedition's scientific lead Trond Larsen told People.
At least 49 species recorded during the expedition are "threatened with extinction," making their presence in Alto Mayo especially vital.
Larsen told People the discovery of so many new species was "shocking and unexpected," saying the finding highlights the region's "tremendous diversity." In a press release, Larsen said the team was particularly surprised to document new mammal species previously unrecorded.
"Mammals are the best-known animal group in the world, so discovering four new mammals in any expedition is surprising," Larsen said in the release. "Finding them in a region with significant human populations is extraordinary."
The team also discovered new amphibian and fish species, which Larsen also recounted as truly amazing.
"While this fish is familiar to the local Indigenous Awajun people, it is completely new to scientists, and the function of this bizarre blob-like structure remains a mystery," Larsen told People.
The Alto Mayo forest spans from the Andes to the Amazon, forming what Conservation International describes as "a complex and diverse mosaic of ecosystems and local communities." During the recent expedition, researchers, scientists, and Indigenous guides navigated a wide array of landscapes, including swamps, lagoons, rivers, mountains, forests, and fields.
Despite its biodiversity, Alto Mayo faces significant challenges from agricultural development and human activity. With a population of 280,000, the region experienced rising deforestation in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the region's Indigenous Awajún people had to rent their lands to farmers to make ends meet. Though human development has fragmented the landscape, the recent expedition revealed that local wildlife populations remain more resilient than previously feared.
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Definitely 👍 "We're proving the unexpected: Small patches of healthy forests can support a wealth of species," Conservation International biologist Wily Palomino said in the release.
Conservation International hopes the recent expedition will aid in informing their future conservation work with Alto Mayo communities, hoping to help support wildlife in new and meaningful ways.
"To effectively protect nature, you first need to know what's there," Diego Dourojeanni, a Conservation International researcher working with Indigenous peoples of the Alto Mayo, said in the release. "By understanding where wildlife lives, we can make better land management decisions and target areas best suited for conservation and sustainable activities like ecotourism, selective logging, and sustainable agriculture."
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