Mekong

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Giant Fish Thought to Be Extinct Has Been Rediscovered

'Symbol of the Mekong region' has been spotted three times in the last few years

(Newser) - A huge fish in the Mekong River once thought to be extinct has been spotted three times in recent years. "The giant salmon carp is like a symbol of the Mekong region," says Chheana Chhut, a researcher at the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute in Phnom Penh,...

It's the Biggest Freshwater Fish Ever Recorded

Giant stingray in Cambodia weighs in at 661 pounds

(Newser) - Researchers say they've encountered the largest freshwater fish ever documented—a giant stingray stretching 13 feet long, more than 7 feet wide, and weighing some 661 pounds. "In 20 years of researching giant fish in rivers and lakes on six continents, this is the largest freshwater fish that...

All Passengers Killed in Laos Plane Crash

Thai official puts death toll at 44

(Newser) - A Laos Airlines flight crashed today in the Southeast Asian country, killing all 44 people aboard, an official in neighboring Thailand said. Sek Wannamethee said the flight from the Lao capital of Vientiane to Pakse in southern Laos crashed at about 4pm local time. He said the flight crashed 4...

Cambodia: 30 Killed in Floods as Mekong Overflows

Thousands flee homes as heavy rains hit

(Newser) - At least 30 people in Cambodia have died in recent floods caused by heavy rains and the Mekong River overflowing its banks, a disaster relief official said today. The floods have also forced more than 9,000 families to flee their homes and destroyed nearly 247,000 acres of rice...

Pocket of Asia Yields 208 New Species—in 1 Year

Mekong region's amazing biodiversity under threat, WWF warns

(Newser) - It's a region that produces a new species every other day: Carnivorous plants that can eat mice, birds, and lizards. An all-female species of lizard that reproduces by self-cloning. Brightly colored geckos bathed in orange, yellow, blue, and green markings. A noseless monkey that looks like it's wearing...

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