Cambodian caves yield new pit viper, flying snake and geckos

A biodiversity survey in Battambang, Cambodia, explored 64 caves across 10 karst hills between November 2023 and July 2025 and reported several species new to science, including a turquoise pit viper, a flying snake, multiple geckos, two micro-snails and two millipedes.

Cambodia's limestone karst hills in Battambang were the focus of a recent biodiversity survey that uncovered several species not previously recorded by science. The fieldwork ran from November 2023 to July 2025 and examined 64 caves across 10 separate hills. Finds described in the report include a turquoise pit viper, a flying snake, multiple gecko species, two micro-snails and two millipedes. The work was led by UK-based conservation charity Fauna & Flora alongside Cambodia's Ministry of Environment and local experts. Key findings: - The survey covered 64 caves across 10 karst hills between November 2023 and July 2025. - Newly reported organisms include a turquoise pit viper, a flying snake, several geckos, two micro-snails and two millipedes. - The viper and three of the gecko species are still being formally named and characterized. - Isolated karst hills act as "island laboratories," producing distinct local populations and separate evolutionary paths. - Researchers also recorded globally threatened animals in the landscape, such as the Sunda pangolin, green peafowl, long-tailed macaque and northern pig-tailed macaque. - Karst habitats, which make up about 9% of Cambodia's land area, face pressures from cement extraction, overtourism, hunting, logging and wildfires. Summary: The survey expands the documented biodiversity of Cambodia's karst landscape and underscores that much of the area remains unexplored. Researchers report that further exploration and genetic analysis are underway, and there are ongoing discussions with government authorities about possible protective status for parts of the landscape. Continued formal description and naming of some new species are part of the next steps.