Endemic Animals of Viet Nam

The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey or Dollman's snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus ) is a slender-bodied arboreal Old World monkey, endemic to northern Vietnam. It has black and white fur, a pink nose and lips, and blue patches around the eyes. It is found at elevations from 200 to 1,200 m (700 to 3,900 ft) on fragmentary patches of forest on craggy limestone areas. First described in 1912, the monkey was rediscovered in 1990 but is e ...
xceedingly rare. In 2008, fewer than 250 individuals were thought to exist, and the species was the subject of intense conservation effort. The main threats faced by these monkeys are habitat loss and hunting, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the species as "critically endangered". Less

The Silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor) is a small mysterious deer known only from Vietnam. It was first described in 1910. Facing multiple threats in the wild, the Silver-backed chevrotain was feared to have gone extinct and in 2019, a study confirmed its presence for the first time since the last confirmed sightings in 1990. With increasing hunting pressure, habitat loss due to deforestation, and no more reports of the species in ...
the wild, this species was feared to have gone extinct. The IUCN listed it as Data Deficient in 2008. In 2019, a study confirmed the presence of the Silver-backed chevrotain in dry low-lying forests of southern Vietnam with camera trap evidence. Less

The white-headed langur (Trachypithecus leucocephalus ) is a critically endangered species of langur endemic to Guangxi, China. Less

The Delacour's langur, or Delacour's lutung, (Trachypithecus delacouri ) is a critically endangered species of lutung endemic to northern Vietnam. It is named for French-American ornithologist Jean Théodore Delacour. Less

The grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea ) is a douc species native to the Vietnamese provinces of Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Kon Tum, and Gia Lai. The total population was estimated at 550 to 700 individuals in 2004. In 2016, Dr. Benjamin Rawson, Country Director of Fauna & Flora International's Vietnam Programme, announced a discovery of an additional population including more than 500 individuals found in Central Vietnam, bringing ...
the total population up to approximately 1000 individuals. Less

The Vietnam ferret-badger (Melogale cucphuongensis) is a member of the family Mustelidae native to Vietnam. It was described in 2011 and is known from only two specimens. Less

The golden gecko (Gekko badenii), also known commonly as Baden's Pacific gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Vietnam. Less

Edwards's pheasant (Lophura edwardsi ) is a bird of the pheasant family Phasianidae and is endemic to the rainforests of Vietnam. It is named after the French ornithologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards and first described to science in 1896 The bird's length is 58–65 centimetres (23–26 in) and has red legs and facial skin. The male is mainly blue-black with a crest, and the female is a drab brown bird. The alarm call is a puk!-puk!-puk!.There are two vari ...
eties; the nominate form L. e. edwardsi has a white crest and upper tail, whereas the northern form, usually called Vietnamese pheasant, is found with a variable number of white rectrices. This difference in the two forms may be due to inbreeding of a restricted, fragmented population there, and has also been seen in captive, inbred L. edwardsi.In 2012 the nominate form of Edwards's pheasant have been uplisted to Critically Endangered by BirdLife International, having suffered from deforestation, hunting and the use of defoliants during the Vietnam War. The population is currently believed to number between 50 and 249 birds in the wild, mostly of the nominate form, but it is doing well in captivity, where it is the subject of ex-situ conservation. There have been no confirmed sightings of a living individual in the wild since 2000 and in 2010 the World Pheasant Association (WPA) received funding from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund to survey forests in the central Vietnam provinces of Quảng Bình and Quảng Trị.The Phong Điền Nature Reserve was initially designated to protect the Edward's pheasant after the rediscovery of the species in the area in 1996. In 2018, a photograph of a dead female Edwards's pheasant was taken in A Lưới District, which includes part of Phong Điền; this marked the first evidence of a wild Edwards's pheasant in almost two decades, and indicates that the species may still persist in the reserve. Less

The grey-crowned crocias (Laniellus langbianis ) is a passerine bird in the family Leiothrichidae.It is endemic to Vietnam, where it has a highly restricted distribution in the Da Lat Plateau. It has also been observed, and independently surveyed in 2015, in Central Vietnam on the Kontum Plateau, where it may be more abundant. Its natural habitat is intact broadleaf evergreen forest and secondary forest, generally near watercourses, between ...
910–1450 m above sea-level.This species was formerly placed in the genus Crocias but under the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature Laniellus Swainson, 1832 has priority over Crocias Temminck, 1836.It is threatened by habitat loss, although the species is elusive and easily overlooked, so much so that it was previously considered critically endangered. Less

The white-throated wren-babbler (Napothera pasquieri ) is a species of bird in the family Pellorneidae.It is endemic to northwestern Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. Less

The Vietnamese greenfinch (Chloris monguilloti ) is a small passerine bird in the family Fringillidae.It is found only in Da Lat, Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The Vietnam partridge, Annam partridge, or Annam hill partridge, Tropicoperdix chloropus merlini, is now usually considered a subspecies of the green-legged partridge in the family Phasianidae of birds.It is endemic to Vietnam in the dense moist lowland forests of central Annam. Less

The orange-breasted laughingthrush (Garrulax annamensis ) is a passerine bird in the family Leiothrichidae. Until recently it was regarded as a subspecies of the spot-breasted laughingthrush (S. merulina ) but has now been split as a separate species. The two have traditionally been placed in the genus Garrulax.It is a medium-sized bird with a strong bill and legs and a fairly long tail. It is 24–25 cm long with a bill length of 25–27 mm, a wing lengt ...
h of 83–92 mm and a tail length of 88–100 mm. It is mostly plain brown apart from an orange stripe over the eye, a black throat and an orange breast with black streaks. It has a loud, melodious song. The spot-breasted laughingthrush is similar but has a pale throat and breast with dark spots and a pale stripe above the eye.It is endemic to Vietnam where it occurs in the Da Lat Plateau in southern Annam. It inhabits montane forest between 915 and 1510 m above sea-level and can survive in degraded habitats such as secondary forest and cultivated land close to forested areas. It is most often seen in pairs. Although it only has a small range, it appears to be tolerant of habitat degradation and is classed as Least Concern by BirdLife International. Less

The chestnut-eared laughingthrush (Ianthocincla konkakinhensis ) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in Vietnam and possibly Laos.This species measures 22 cm (8.7 in). This laughingthrush has boldly and irregularly barred black and white upperparts, a black-streaked grey forehead, chestnut ear-coverts, and a white-tipped tail with a broad black sub-terminal band.Endemic to Kon Tum Province, Vietnam, the only known site f ...
or this species is a small area in Kon Ka Kinh National Park (which is also the origin of the species' scientific name). Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.The chestnut-eared laughingthrush was originally placed in the genus Garrulax but following the publication of a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study in 2018, it was moved to the resurrected genus Ianthocincla. Less

The black-crowned fulvetta (Schoeniparus klossi ) is a bird species in the family Pellorneidae. Until recently it was considered a sub-species of the rufous-winged fulvetta. It is endemic to Vietnam. Less

The Tam Dao salamander or Vietnamese salamander (Paramesotriton deloustali ) is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae found only in Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Less

Rhacophorus calcaneus (vernacular name: Vietnam flying frog) is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Vietnam. It has been extensively confused with Rhacophorus robertingeri, making it difficult to know its true range. Its natural habitats are evergreen forests at elevations of 1,300–2,000 m (4,300–6,600 ft) above sea level. It is threatened by collection for the international pet trade and by habitat loss and degra ...
dation caused by rapidly expanding agriculture, including cash crops such as rubber, coffee and tea. Less

Rhacophorus hoanglienensis, also known as the Honglien Frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae found in Vietnam and possibly China. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Theloderma palliatum (common name: cloaked moss frog) is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Vietnam and so far only known from the Bidoup Núi Bà and Chư Yang Sin National Parks. This species, together with Theloderma nebulosum, was first found by Australian and Vietnamese scientists in Tay Nguyen in 2011. Less

Micryletta erythropoda, commonly known as the Mada paddy frog, is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae.It is known from Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.Its natural habitats are swamps, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. While formerly classified in the genus Microhyla, a 2018 study found it to belong to the genus Micryletta instead. A study performed in 2019 found that several Micryletta populations in southern ...
Myanmar and Thailand that were formerly assigned to M. inornata actually belong to M. erythropoda ; prior to this, M. erythropoda was considered endemic to Vietnam. Less

Leptobrachium xanthospilum is a species of frog in the family Megophryidae. It is endemic to Vietnam, where it is known only from the vicinity of Ko Rong, Tram Lap, and Buôn Lưới villages in Gia Lai Province.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers.It is threatened by habitat loss. This species derives its specific name from the Greek words "xanthos", which means yellow, and "spilos", which means spot, and ...
refers to the species' prominent yellow spots. Less

Gracixalus ananjevae, the Ananjeva Asian treefrog, is a species of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae.It is endemic to Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Leptolalax firthi is a species of frog in the family Megophryidae from Vietnam. Less

Nanohyla nanapollexa is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is also known as the no-thumb pigmy frog and three-fingered pigmy narrow-mouth frog. It is endemic to Vietnam and is known from Quang Nam and Phu Yen Provinces. Less

Microhyla picta is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae.It is endemic to Vietnam.Its natural habitats are swamps, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. Less

The Vietnamese pond turtle or Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis ) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae.It can be distinguished from its relatives by its color pattern: the head is dark with three or four yellow stripes down the side. The plastron (belly shield) is firmly attached, yellow or orange, with a black blotch on each scute.Endemic to a small area in central Vietnam, it was reportedly abundant in the 1930s, but all field ...
surveys after 1941 had failed to locate any individuals in the wild. As it was occasionally seen traded as food, it was not yet extinct in the wild however.In 2006, a wild population of M. annamensis was found near Hội An in Quảng Nam Province. Despite its rarity, specimens have been observed for sale in China and Hong Kong, and have been illicitly imported into the USA. A small number are being captive-bred on Hainan Island in southern China, as well as at the Cuc Phuong Turtle Conservation Center located in Cúc Phương National Park in northern Vietnam. The species is nonetheless close to extinction in the wild, as illegal hunting seems to continue. Reintroduction programmes of captive bred specimens are currently in progress. Hybridization with other Geoemydidae genera is known to occur. The species has produced hybrids with the Malayan box turtle in captivity. In addition, the supposed new species Ocadia glyphistoma has turned out to be the offspring of a male Chinese stripe-necked turtle and a female of the present species; it might have been taken from the wild or also have been captive-bred. Captive Vietnamese pond turtles - which are occasionally available to experienced hobbyists, under the auspices of the IUCN-coordinated captive-breeding program - must therefore never be housed with related species. Hybridization in the wild would not seem to constitute a major threat, as the two parent species of "Ocadia" × glyphistoma are not closely related, and the hybrids are thus likely to be sterile. However, with a species as rare as the Vietnamese pond turtle, more research into this issue is certainly necessary. Less

Bungarus slowinskii, the Red River krait, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to mainland Southeast Asia. Less

The giant butterfly lizard (Leiolepis guttata ) is a rarely seen species of lizard found in parts of Southeast Asia. It is the largest member of the genus Leiolepis. Less

The southern Vietnamese box turtle (Cuora picturata ) is endemic to the southern mountainous regions of Vietnam, and possibly also occurring in extreme eastern Cambodia and southern Laos. It is known only from Khanh Hoa and southern Phu Yen provinces, but may also occur in eastern Dak Lak and northern Ninh Thuan provinces.This species was initially described as a subspecies of Cuora galbinifrons, but was shown to be genetically distinct. This is ...
the same for Cuora galbinifrons bourreti, which is much closer related to Cuora galbinifrons, though, in osteology, genetics and morphology than is Cuora picturata to either one. Thus, this variety probably truly deserves species status.This species has the highest-domed carapace of all Cuora species, the shape resembling a conquistador helmet. While the head coloration of Cuora galbinifrons subspecies is highly variable even in different populations, this is not the case with C. picturata, whose head is always yellow with a fine, greyish reticulation. Less

The Vietnamese leopard gecko or Chinese tiger gecko (Goniurosaurus araneus ) is a species of lizards in the family Eublepharidae. It is endemic to the Cao Bằng Province of Vietnam. The scientific species name, is from the Latin, aranea, which means "spider", due to the spindly, spider-like form of this species. Less

Lichtenfelder's gecko (Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi ) is a species of lizard in the family Eublepharidae. The species is endemic to southeastern Asia. Less

Boiga bourreti is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia. Less

Cyrtodactylus phongnhakebangensis (Vietnamese: Thằn lằn Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng) is a species of gecko native to Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Quảng Bình Province, North Central Coast, Vietnam. It was discovered and described in 2002. Less

Andrea's keelback (Hebius andreae ) is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to Vietnam. Less

Cyrtodactylus cattienensis, or the Cattien bent-toed gecko, is a gecko endemic to southern Vietnam. It is known from the Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu provinces. Its type locality is within the Cát Tiên National Park, and the species was named after the park. Less

Cyrtodactylus septimontium, also known as the Bảy Núi bent-toed gecko, is a species of gecko endemic to Vietnam. Less

Takydromus madaensis, the Ma Da grass lizard , is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to Vietnam. Less

The double subdigital-pads skink (Scincella rara ) is a species of skink, only known to live in Central Truong Son, Vietnam. It is a small skink with arboreal mode of life. Less

Cyrtodactylus taybacensis, also known as the Taybac bent-toed gecko, is a species of gecko endemic to Vietnam. Less

Cyrtodactylus bugiamapensis is a gecko from Binh Phuoc and Lam Dong provinces, southern Vietnam. Less

Vietnam worm snake (Argyrophis giadinhensis ) is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. It is endemic to Vietnam. Less

Beelzebub's tube-nosed bat (Murina beelzebub ), also Beelzebub bat or demon bat, is a species in the vesper bat family Vespertilionidae, found in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia, specifically the Quảng Trị and Gia Lai provinces of Vietnam. They have tube-shaped nostrils (hence the name) which assist them with their feeding. Less