Scientists Discover Dozens of New Species

AP on Yahoo ^ | 2/6/06 | Robin McDowell - ap

[NormsRevenge]

JAKARTA, Indonesia - A team of scientists exploring an isolated jungle in one of Indonesia's most remote provinces said they discovered dozens of new species of frogs, butterflies and plants — as well as large mammals hunted to near extinction elsewhere.

The team also found wildlife that were remarkably unafraid of humans during their rapid assessment survey of the Foja Mountains, which has more than two million acres of old growth tropical forest, Bruce Beehler, a co-leader of the monthlong trip, said in announcing the discoveries on Tuesday.

Two Long-Beaked Echidnas, a primitive egg-laying mammal, simply allowed scientists to pick them up and bring them back to their camp to be studied, he said.

Their findings, however, will have to be published and then reviewed by peers before being officially classified as new species, a process that could take six months to several years.

The December 2005 expedition to the eastern province of Papua was organized by the U.S.-based environmental organization Conservation International and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences.

"There was not a single trail, no sign of civilization, no sign of even local communities ever having been there," said Beehler, adding that two headmen from the Kwerba and Papasena tribes, the customary landowners of the Foja Mountains, accompanied the expedition.

"They were as astounded as we were at how isolated it was," he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Washington. "As far as they knew, neither of their clans had ever been to the area."

Papua, the scene of a decades-long separatist rebellion that has left an estimated 100,000 people dead, is one of Indonesia's most remote provinces, geographically and politically, and access by foreigners is tightly restricted.

The 11-member team of U.S., Indonesian and Australian scientists needed six permits before they could legally fly by helicopter to an open, boggy lakebed surrounded by forests near the range's western summit.

The scientists said they discovered 20 frog species — including a tiny microhylid frog less than a half-inch long — four new butterfly species, and at least five new types of palms.

Because of the rich diversity in the forest, the group rarely had to stray more than a few miles from their base camp.

"We've only scratched the surface," said Beehler, vice president of Conservation International's Melanesia Center for Biodiversity Conservation, who hopes to return later this year with other scientists.

One of the most remarkable discoveries was the Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo, an arboreal jungle-dweller new for Indonesia and previously thought to have been hunted to near extinction, and a new honeyeater bird, which has a bright orange face-patch with a pendant wattle under each eye, Beehler said.

One of the reasons for the rain forest's isolation, he said, was that only a few hundred people live in the region and game in the mountain's foothills was so abundant that they had no reason to venture into the jungle's interior.

There did not appear to be any immediate conservation threat to the area, which has the status of a wildlife sanctuary, he said.

"No logging permits are given to this area, there is no transport system — not a single road," Beehler said.

"But clearly with time everything is a threat. In the next few decades there will be strong demands, especially if you think of the timber needs of nearby countries like China and Japan. They will be very hungry for logs."

____

On the Net:

Conservation International: http://www.conservation.org

[NormsRevenge]

Undated photo of the 'Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise', rediscovered during an expedition to the Foja mountains in the west of New Guinea in Indonesia. Scientists said on Tuesday they had found a 'Lost World' in an Indonesian mountain jungle, home to dozens of exotic new species of birds, butterflies, frogs and plants. The U.S., Indonesian and Australian expedition took photographs of the 'Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise', which appears in 19th century collections but whose home had previously been unknown. The bird is named after six fine feathers on the head of the male which can be raised and shaken in courtship displays. NO ARCHIVES NO SALES REUTERS/Bruce Beehler

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

And in America......
discovery of the "Lily-livered Liberal Moonbats"!

[Khurkris]

The Long-Beaked Enchilada. They are available in black, or as shown, a two-toned light brown top fading to a blonde under carriage.

[dangus]

TREE KANGAROOS?

Ya gotta be shi++ing me!

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks!

Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo

[RandallFlagg]

I wonder how they'd taste smothered in some hickory barbeque sauce...

"If you want to ensure the survival of an endangered species, EAT IT!!" --Rush Limbaugh

[Kickass Conservative]

I like beef enchiladas myself.

[NormsRevenge]

Here ya go..

Matschie's Tree Kangaroo

[Pyro7480]

Tree Kangaroo

[Nathan Zachary]

looks more like a marmoth to me. Hardly a "roo" But what do you expect a bunch of envirowienies to name it?
They think they discovered a new world, and maybe even (gasp!)"EVOLUTION"
LMAO!

[Nathan Zachary]

looks more like a marmoth sloth to me. Hardly a "roo" But what do you expect a bunch of envirowienies to name it? They think they discovered a new world, and maybe even (gasp!)"EVOLUTION" LMAO!

[Husker24]

Mmm, I wonder how these new species taste?

[taxesareforever]

A team of scientists exploring an isolated jungle in one of Indonesia's most remote provinces said they discovered dozens of new species of frogs, butterflies and plants — as well as large mammals hunted to near extinction elsewhere.

What a bunch of BS. If new species are JUST discovered how do they know that hunting has led to near extinction? How close were they to extinction 20 years ago? Or 5 years ago? They don't have a clue because they didn't know about them. This is Dumb Science 101.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Undated photo of the 'Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise'

Whooooo-eee!

[dangus]

Family Macropodea?

They've discovered Bigfoot!

[dangus]

>> What a bunch of BS. If new species are JUST discovered how do they know that hunting has led to near extinction? <<

Read the quote over again... They found new species. THey also found larger mammals that were hunted to near extinction ELSEWHERE.

[Romish_Papist]

In fairness to the article, it said "other" species hunted to near extinction "elsewhere" not that the new species are near extinct. It's talking about other, known species that elsewhere are near extinct.

[martin_fierro]

LOL

[martin_fierro]

The Long-Beaked Enchilada. They are available in black, or as shown, a two-toned light brown top fading to a blonde under carriage.

BFD.