A recent CNN post captures the amazing diversity (like this dragon millipede) scientists have cataloged in the Mekong Delta region of Southeast Asia.

From the article:

A scientist visiting an outdoor restaurant was startled to see a Laotian rock rat among the nearby wildlife. The hairy, nocturnal, thick-tailed rat, which resembles a squirrel, had been thought for centuries to be extinct.

Imagine making a discovery like this while having some lunch!

Make sure you check out the slide show of some the new species on CNN’s website.

For more details you can read the World Wildlife Fund’s report that describes the efforts that have led to the discovery of nearly 1000 new species in the last 10 years.