Unseen species found in Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National Park

A strange species has just been discovered by a cave exploration team of the Jungle Boss Co., Ltd, in Hung Cave in Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National Park in the central province of Quảng Bình.—Photo Nguyễn Văn Úy

HÀ NỘI — A strange species has just been discovered by a cave exploration team of the Jungle Boss Co., Ltd, in Hùng Cave within a strictly protected area of the Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National Park in the central province of Quảng Bình.

According to Lê Lưu Dũng, director of Jungle Boss, images of this creature were sent to professional cave exploration groups, but no one has seen it before.

It might be a new species in the core area of the National Park and requires more in-depth research, he said.

According to the team, this species was found scattered on the surface of stalactites in Hùng, approximately 300m from the cave entrance.

Observing with the naked eyes, this creature has an opaque white main body with many branches extending from the base, resembling a starfish. The branches spread out in multiple directions and are about a few cm long. Above is a tentacle-like strand about a handbreadth in height, which is white and can stretch.

The research team found approximately 40-50 of these creatures scattered over an area of several dozen sq.m in the cave. Remarkably, although the core area of the National Park contains numerous caves, the research team detected this species in Hùng cave only.

Nguyễn Văn Long, director of the provincial Forest Protection Department, said he had never seen this species before either, adding that the images of this creature will be sent to experts in biology for their consultation.— VNS