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Scientists Discover New Species in the “Lost World” of Western New Guinea

Forest camp during the Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) expedition to the Foja Mountains of Papua province, Indonesia , on the island of New Guinea , November-December 2005 Image by Stephen Richards, courtesy of Conservation International.

In December 2005, a 25 member team of U.S., Indonesian, and Australian scientists led by Conservation International (CI) traveled to the island of New Guinea and found dozens of new species including frogs, butterflies, plants, and an orange-faced honeyeater, the first new bird from the island of New Guinea in more than 60 years.

Aerial view of the Foja Mountains of Papua province, Indonesia , Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) expedition, November-December 2005, Image by Stephen Richards, courtesy of Conservation International

In a press release dated February 7, 2006 , Dr. Bruce Beehler, vice president of CI's Melanesia Center for Biodiversity Conservation and a co-leader of the expedition stated that: “It's as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth. The first bird we saw at our camp was a new species. Large mammals that have been hunted to near extinction elsewhere were here in abundance. We were able to simply pick up two Long-Beaked Echidnas, a primitive egg-laying mammal that is little known.” On the second day of the month-long expedition, amazed scientists watched as a male Berlepsch's bird of paradise performed a mating dance for an attending female in the field camp. This was the first time a live male of the species had been observed by Western scientists, and proved that the Foja Mountains was the species' true home. The team captured the first photos ever seen of exotic birds.

Other discoveries included what may be the largest rhododendron flower on record – almost six inches across – along with more than 20 new frogs and four new butterflies. CI and the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) sponsored the expedition, with financial support from the Swift Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the National Geographic Society and the Global Environment Project Institute.

Rhododendron macgregoriae seen on the Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) expedition to the Foja Mountains of Papua province, Indonesia , on the island of New Guinea.

Image by Bruce Beehler, Courtesy of Conservation International

The first photographic record of the a new species of Smoky honeyeater, discovered on Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) expedition to the Foja Mountains of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. This is the first new bird species discovered in New Guinea in over 60 years.

Image by Bruce Beehler, Courtesy of Conservation International

The first photographic record of the Berlepsch's six-wired "lost" bird of paradise, rediscovered on the Conservation International Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) expedition to the Foja Mountains of Papua province, Indonesia , on the island of New Guinea.

Image by Bruce Beehler, Courtesy of Conservation International

To read the press release by Conservation International and learn more visit: http://www.conservation.org/

Images in this section were kindly loaned to Biotrends by Conservation International for use with this section. For any questions related to images shown here, contact Conservation International.