Another species just discovered in 2009, the O'Shaughnessy's Dwarf Iguana (Enyalioides oshaughnessyi), lives in a micro-habitat in western Ecuador, a tiny cloud forest in the Andes mountains called Cerro Pata de Pajaro that is shrinking rapidly because of a double onslaught: climate change and logging to create more space for cattle. An expedition into rainforests on Ecuador's coast by Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International (RAEI) revealed this tiny iguana and severeal other new species, including up to 30 new "rain" frogs. A 15-year-old volunteer on the expedition discovered a snail-eating snake never before known to science.
Dr. Paul S. Hamilton, the expedition's leader, said, "There is obviously a great concern that these species will disappear as soon as, or even before, they are formally described by science. There are countless gaps in our knowledge about the status and distribution of tropical animals; this study just scratches the surface of what we know about this region alone, much less what is happening to global patterns of extinction. To stem the pattern of current extinction rates, we all need to do our part, whether that be driving less, eating less meat, or simply educating ourselves and spreading the word."
Photo: Dr. Paul S. Hamilton
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