1. Baltzer, M. C., Nguyen, T. D. & Shore, R. G. (eds) Towards a Vision for Biodiversity Conservation in the Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex: Summary of the Biological Assessment for the Ecoregion Biodiversity Conservation Program in the Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex (WWF, 2001).

2. Timmins, R. J., et al. Muntiacus vuquangensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e.T44703A22153828 (IUCN, 2016); https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T44703A22153828.en

3. Timmins, R. J., Hedges, S. & Robichaud, W. Pseudoryx nghetinhensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e.T18597A46364962 (IUCN, 2016); https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T18597A46364962.en

4. Tilker, A. et al. Saving the saola from extinction. Science 357, 1248 (2017).

5. Cochard, R., Ngo, D. T., Waeber, P. O. & Kull, C. A. Extent and causes of forest cover changes in Vietnam’s provinces 1993–2013: a review and analysis of official data. Environ. Rev. 25, 199–217 (2016).

6. Harrison, R. D. et al. Impacts of hunting on tropical forests in Southeast Asia. Conserv. Biol. 30, 972–981 (2016).

7. Nguyen, V. S. Wildlife trading in Vietnam: situation, causes, and solutions. J. Environ. Dev. 17, 145–165 (2008).

8. Gray, T. N. et al. Wildlife-snaring crisis in Asian forests. Science 355, 255–256 (2017).

9. Gray, T. N. et al. The wildlife snaring crisis: an insidious and pervasive threat to biodiversity in Southeast Asia. Biodivers. Conserv. 27, 1031–1037 (2018).

10. Redford, K. H. The empty forest. BioScience 42, 412–422 (1992).

11. Timmins, R. J., Duckworth, J. W. & Meijaard, E. Tragulus versicolor. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015 e.T136360A61978789 (IUCN, 2015); https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T136360A61978789.en

12. Thomas, O. Three new Asiatic mammals. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 5, 534–536 (1910).

13. Kuznetsov, G. V. & Borissenko, A. V. A new record of Tragulus versicolor (Artiodactyla, Tragulidae) from Vietnam, and its sympatric occurrence with T. kanchil. Russ. J. Theriol. 3, 9–13 (2004).

14. Meijaard, E. & Groves, C. P. A taxonomic revision of the Tragulus mouse-deer (Artiodactyla). Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 140, 63–102 (2004).

15. Meijaard, E. & Groves, C. P. Recent study identifies the possible existence of a forgotten species. Oryx 38, 132–133 (2004).

16. Meijaard, E., Borissenko, A. V. & Kuznetsov, G. V. Rediscovery of Tragulus versicolor, the silver-backed chevrotain. Oryx 38, 254–255 (2004).

17. Tilker, A. et al. Nesolagus timminsi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019 e.T41209A45181925 (IUCN, 2019).

18. Meijaard, E. & Nijman, V. Secrecy considerations for conserving Lazarus species. Biol. Conserv. 175, 21–24 (2014).

19. Ganas, J. & Lindsell, J. A. Photographic evidence of Jentink’s duiker in the Gola Forest Reserves, Sierra Leone. Afr. J. Ecol. 48, 566–568 (2010).

20. Sollmann, R., Linkie, M., Haidir, I. A. & Macdonald, D. W. Bringing clarity to the clouded leopard Neofelis diardi: first density estimates from Sumatra. Oryx 48, 536–539 (2014).

21. Tilker, A. et al. A little-known endemic caught in the South-east Asian extinction crisis: the Annamite striped rabbit Nesolagus timminsi. Oryx https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605318000534 (2018).

22. Whitfield, J. A saola poses for the camera. Nature 396, 410 (1998).

23. Polet, G., Tran, V. M., Nguyen, X. D., Bui, H. M. & Baltzer, M. The Javan rhinos, Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus, of Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam: current status and management implications. Pachyderm 27, 34–47 (1999).

24. Schmid, M. Végétation du Viet-Nam: le massif sud-Annamitique et les régions limitrophes. Mémoires ORSTOM 74, 1–243 (1974).

25. Rundel, P. W. Forest Habitats and Flora in Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam (WWF, 1999).

26. Averyanov, L. V., Phan, K. L., Nguyen, T. H. & Harder, D. K. Phytogeographic review of Vietnam and adjacent areas of eastern Indochina. Komarovia 3, 1–83 (2003).

27. Gadgil, M., Berkes, F. & Folke, C. Indigenous knowledge for biodiversity conservation. Ambio 22, 151–156 (1993).

28. Newton, P., Nguyen, V. T., Roberton, S. & Bell, D. Pangolins in peril: using local hunters’ knowledge to conserve elusive species in Vietnam. Endanger. Species Res. 6, 41–53 (2008).

29. Zeller, K. A., Nijhawan, S., Salom-Pérez, R., Potosme, S. H. & Hines, J. E. Integrating occupancy modeling and interview data for corridor identification: a case study for jaguars in Nicaragua. Biol. Conserv. 144, 892–901 (2011).

30. Turvey, S. T. et al. Interview‐based sighting histories can inform regional conservation prioritization for highly threatened cryptic species. J. Appl. Ecol. 52, 422–433 (2015).

31. Timmins, R. J., Evans, T. D., Khounboline, K. & Sisomphone, C. Status and conservation of the giant muntjac Megamuntiacus vuquangensis, and notes on other muntjac species in Laos. Oryx 32, 59–67 (1998).

32. Abrams, J. F. et al. Studying Terrestrial Mammals in Tropical Rainforests. A User Guide for Camera-Trapping and Environmental DNA (Leibniz-IZW, 2018).

33. Niedballa, J., Sollmann, R., Courtiol, A. & Wilting, A. camtrapR: an R package for efficient camera trap data management. Methods Ecol. Evol. 7, 1457–1462 (2016).