So far, we’ve talked about endangered animals in Canada, South America, and Kenya. Although the Philippines has long been declared a hot spot for endangered species among conservationists and environmentalists, a new and exciting discovery has created a major buzz among US scientists. It was a welcome shot in the arm for the people behind the fight for survival among endangered species, and hopefully more media attention and financial support.Basing their information from university professors, a group of US scientists led by Terrence Gosliner of the California Academy of Sciences traveled to the Philippines without a clear agenda. It would be the 42-day adventure of a lifetime as they walked through virgin territory and jungles, stepping on never-before seen flora and fauna before reaching their destination.

Knowing the penchant for unscrupulous businessmen, this group refuses to divulge the exact location of their discovery, although they did mention it was near Mount Isarog which is over 6,400 feet high. They did document everything in photos. This is what they found:To their astonishment, they found over 300 new species and each dive revealed more and more new discoveries. There were lobsters with no shells, the tiniest sharks, and a starfish that feeds on driftwood. They also found a deep sea shark that would bloat itself as protection from predators, the tiniest slugs, barnacles, and spiders.

As one of the hottest spots for endangered species, the Philippines was previously thought to be a country where money ruled over preservation because of the extreme poverty. This was a wonderful discovery that brought hope for a new biodiversity from land to sea and ocean floors. As Gosliner says, “ The biodiversity here is still relatively unknown, and we found new species during nearly every dive and hike.”

Some of the places they visited were untouched by humans and revealed crabs with teeth like needles and a pipefish that looked like a worm. They also saw spikemoss, a cicada with a call that sounds like a laugh, and  a rare snake eel. The Academy returned to the U.S. with hundreds of documents that would determine their hope of a new marine environment and ecosystem, untainted by pollution.