Trade is up, and the human population is booming. Every year more forest habitat is cleared, and every year more animal species are forced into contact with humans. Four of them were discovered in Vietnam in the 1990s. The animals remained undiscovered for so long because they lived far from major battlefields and Viet Cong enclaves. Defoliation took its toll in parts of the country, but enough vegetation in the mountains allowed wildlife to thrive.
Peace now endangers much of the forests.
In 1945, nearly 45 percent of Vietnam was jungle. Now, it's only 10 percent, according to the World Wildlife Fund. We need to clear land for food, so we have to cut trees to rebuild. A Dangerous Peace As quickly as newfound jungle animals are exposed, they're endangered. Some rare species are purchased by collectors for private menageries.