Don’t you just love new animal discoveries? Every time I hear about them, they’re simply the highlight of my day. Not only does it make me feel happy because I know how quickly so many species are disappearing every single day, but also because it’s just a lot of fun to see photos, read about, and learn about such incredible, never-before seen creatures. When new animals (well, they’re not really new, are they—they’re simply new to us) are discovered in the rainforest in particular, it’s very exciting because we always hope that such finds will foster a greater respect for the area, as well as a reluctance to destroy it.

 On the island of Borneo, for example, World Wildlife Fund researchers have discovered a plethora of new, exciting animals—over 120 species that mankind has never seen. An average of three species per month have been spotted in the area. In the last 15 years, an estimated 600 species have been found altogether in the area, which is absolutely amazing.

More than 350 types of birds live in the heart of Borneo, as well as 150 reptiles and amphibians, 10 species of primates, and a whopping 10,000 species of plants that do not exist elsewhere on Earth. It’s so incredible to even think of such a diverse concentrated area of wildlife, and it makes you really wonder what kinds of creatures may have existed before the colonization of humans where we currently live.

A few highlights of the new discoveries include:

The Flat-headed frog, or Barbourula kalimantanensis, does not breathe through its lungs, but entirely through its own skin. The small amphibian is only three inches long.

A slimy version of cupid, a long-tailed slug actually shoots what scientists call “love darts” at its prospective mates. The “dart,” made of calcium carbonate, carries a hormone in it that helps stimulate reproduction.

The world’s largest stick insect lives in the Borneo rainforest. Called Phobaeticus chain, it is fourteen inches long and totally creeps me out when I just think about it! Only three of these bugs have been found so far.

For more animals (and amazing pictures), click here.

WWF stresses that it’s very important to preserve this area, especially for these rare species’ sake. One of the world’s most endangered species, the Sumatran rhino, lives in the area. Only 200 are left in the wild. Mining, logging, and extraction of palm oil are the main industries that threaten the area.