Dozens Of New Species In Rhode-Island SIzed "Lost World" In PNG

[hatrack]

OSLO - 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. “It’s as close to the Garden of Eden as you’re going to find on Earth,” said Bruce Beehler, co-leader of the US, Indonesian, and Australian expedition to part of the cloud-shrouded Foja mountains in the west of New Guinea.

Indigenous peoples living near the Foja range, which rises to 2,200 metres (7,218 ft), said they did not venture into the trackless area of 3,000 sq km (1,200 sq miles) -- roughly the size of Luxembourg or the US state of Rhode Island.

The team of 25 scientists rode helicopters to boggy clearings in the pristine zone. ”We just scratched the surface,” Beehler told Reuters. ”Anyone who goes there will come back with a mystery.”

The expedition found a new type of honeyeater bird with a bright orange patch on its face, known only to local people and the first new bird species documented on the island in over 60 years. They also found more than 20 new species of frog, four new species of butterfly and plants including five new palms. And they took the first photographs of “Berlepsch’s six-wired bird of paradise”, which appears in 19th century collections but whose home had previously been unknown.

EDIT

Much more - a new kangaroo species, butterflies, and the like.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2006/February/theworld_February169.xml§ion=theworld

[coffeenap]

1. Well, it WAS the garden of eden--before they landed in it in--

helicopters!! Geez, they started the beginning of the end, didn't they? Can't humans leave anything alone? The local people know how.

[MostlyLurks]

2. Now the question is:

How can we exploit this new "garden of eden" for financial gain? I say we put in a Club Med and start booking eco-tours with hot pink Jeeps.

Mostly

[Ready4Change]

3. Quick! Build a Hotel!

We've got to give people a chance to see these wonders before they are gone!