Hundreds of New Species Found in Peru

Photo courtesy: cspruit/CC BY 2.0

Just when it started to seem like we had mapped out pretty much all lifeforms on Earth, biologists say they have now found yet another ark-full -- and all in just one small region of South America. A group of field researchers working in Peru's Bahuaja Sonene National Park recently uncovered not one, not two, but 365 new species previously unknown to science.

According to PhysOrg, the fifteen-member crew shed light on creatures big and small that otherwise had been undiscovered, proving that the world of biodiversity is still one whose border have yet been traced.

The discovery included: thirty undocumented bird species, including the black-and-white hawk eagle, Wilson's phalarope, and ash colored cuckoo; two undocumented mammals – Niceforo's big-eared bat and the Tricolored Bat; as well as 233 undocumented species of butterflies and moths.

"The discovery of even more species in this park underscores the importance of ongoing conservation work in this region," says Dr. Julie Kunen of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "This park is truly one of the crown jewels of Latin America's impressive network of protected areas."