Lost World" Discovered: Scientists Explore Indonesian Jungle

[Gokul43201]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4688000.stm

An international team of scientists says it has found a "lost world" in the Indonesian jungle that is home to dozens of new animal and plant species.

"It's as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth," said Bruce Beehler, co-leader of the group.

...

On only the second day of the team's expedition, the amazed scientists watched as a male Berlepsch's bird of paradise performed a mating dance for an attending female in the field camp.

It 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.

"This bird had been filed away and forgotten; it had been lost. To rediscover it was, for me, in some ways, more exciting than finding the honeyeater. I spent 20 years working on birds of paradise; they're pretty darn sexy beasts," Dr Beehler enthused.

...

A summary of the team's main discoveries:

* A new species of honeyeater, the first new bird species discovered on the island of New Guinea since 1939
* The formerly unknown breeding grounds of a "lost" bird of paradise - the six-wired bird of paradise (Parotia berlepschi)
* First photographs of the golden-fronted bowerbird displaying at its bower.
* A new large mammal for Indonesia, the golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus)
* More than 20 new species of frogs, including a tiny microhylid frog less than 14mm long
* A series of previously undescribed plant species, including five new species of palms
* A remarkable white-flowered rhododendron with flower about 15cm across
* Four new butterfly species.

 

[hypatia]

oohhhhhhh ahhhhhhhh this is very cool! I hope to see more photos soon!