Scientists hail discovery of hundreds of new species
Antimulticulture
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article343740.ece
By Terry Kirby, Chief Reporter
07 February 2006
An astonishing mist-shrouded "lost world" of previously unknown and rare
animals and plants high in the mountain rainforests of New Guinea has been
uncovered by an international team of scientists.
Among the new species of birds, frogs, butterflies and palms discovered in
the expedition through this pristine environment, untouched by man, was the
spectacular Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise. The scientists are the
first outsiders to see it. They could only reach the remote mountainous area
by helicopter, which they described it as akin to finding a "Garden of
Eden".
In a jungle camp site, surrounded by giant flowers and unknown plants, the
researchers watched rare bowerbirds perform elaborate courtship rituals. The
surrounding forest was full of strange mammals, such as *tree kangaroos* and
spiny anteaters, which appeared totally unafraid, suggesting no previous
contact with humans.
[ed. Tree Kangeroos? You mean like you find in say...Australia? So much for
the idea that they were a unique species...]
Bruce Beehler, of the American group Conservation International, who led the
month-long expedition last November and December, said: "It is as close to
the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth. We found dozens, if not
hundreds, of new species in what is probably the most pristine ecosystem in
the whole Asian-Pacific region. There were so many new things it was almost
overwhelming. And we have only scratched the surface of what is there." The
scientists hope to return this year.
The area, about 300,000 hectares, lies on the upper slopes of the Foja
Mountains, in the easternmost and least explored province of western New
Guinea, which is part of Indonesia. The discoveries by the team from
Conservation International and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences will
enhance the island's reputation as one of the most biodiverse on earth. The
mountainous terrain has caused hundreds of distinct species to evolve, often
specific to small areas.
[ed. They've only just discovered them, in fact the campers boots aren't
even dry and already they can confidently claim they evolved...hahah!! Nice
little computer animation to tidy up the loose edges, bit of condescending
gibberish pitched at six year olds and whammo! the theory of evolution
becomes fact of evolution...]
The Foja Mountains, which reach heights of 2,200 metres, have not been
colonised by local tribes, which live closer to sea level. Game is abundant
close to villages, so there is little incentive for hunters to penetrate up
the slopes. A further 750,000 hectares of ancient forest is also only
lightly visited.
One previous scientific trip has been made to the uplands - the evolutionary
biologist and ornithologist Professor Jared Diamond visited 25 years ago -
but last year's mission was the first full scientific expedition.
The first discovery made by the team, within hours of arrival, was of a
bizarre, red-faced, wattled honeyeater that proved to be the first new
species of bird discovered in New Guinea - which has a higher number of bird
species for its size than anywhere else in the world - since 1939. The
scientists also found the rare golden-fronted bowerbird, first identified
from skins in 1825. Although Professor Diamond located their homeland in
1981, the expedition was able to photograph the bird in its metre-high
"maypole" dance grounds, which the birds construct to attract mates. Male
bowerbirds, believed to be the most highly evolved of all birds, build large
and extravagant nests to attract females.
[ed. Evolution is an unscientific fraud, whether it is "believed" or not is
another matter entirely...]
The most remarkable find was of a creature called Berlepsch's six-wired bird
of paradise, named after the six spines on the top of its head, and thought
"lost" to science. It had been previously identified only from the feathers
of dead birds.
Dr Beehler, an expert on birds of paradise, which only live in northern
Australia and New Guinea, said: "It was very exciting, when two of these
birds, a male and a female, which no one has seen alive before ... came into
the camp and the male displayed its plumage to the female in full view of
the scientists."
[ed. And being a feminist bird she was unimpressed with this display of male
chauvenism in an obviously oppressively domineering patriarcal society?]
Scientists also found more than 20 new species of frogs, four new
butterflies, five new species of palm and many other plants yet to be
classified, including what may be the world's largest rhododendron flower.
Botanists on the team said many plants were completely unlike anything they
had encountered before.
Tree kangaroos, which are endangered elsewhere in New Guinea, were numerous
and the team found one species entirely new to the island. The
golden-mantled tree kangaroo is considered the most beautiful but also the
rarest of the jungle-dwelling marsupials. There were also other marsupials,
such as wallabies and mammals that have been hunted almost to extinction
elsewhere. And a rare spiny anteater, the long beaked echidna, about which
little is known, allowed itself to be picked up by hand. Dr Beehler said:
"What was amazing was the lack of wariness of all the animals. In the wild,
all species tend to be shy of humans, but that is learnt behaviour because
they have encountered mankind. In Foja they did not appear to mind our
presence at all.
[ed. Would you have taken no for an answer anyway?]
"This is a place with no roads or trails and never, so far as we know,
visited by man ... This proves there are still places to be discovered that
man has not touched."
[ed. Give it time, we will stuff up that region too...]
Inhabitants of New Guinea
Birds
The scientists discovered a new species - the red faced, wattled
honeyeater - and found the breeding grounds of two birds of almost mythical
status - the golden- fronted bowerbird and Berlepsch's six-wired bird of
paradise, long believed to have disappeared as a separate species. The
expedition also came across exotic giant-crowned pigeons and giant
cassowaries - a huge flightless bird - which are among more than 225 species
which breed in the area, including 13 species of birds of paradise. One
scientist said that the dawn chorus was the most fantastic he had ever
heard.
[ed. He obviously doesn't get to leave campus all that much then...]
Mammals
Forty species of mammals were recorded. Six species of tree kangeroos, rare
elsewhere in New Guinea, were abundant and the scientists also found a
species which is new to Indonesia, the golden-mantled tree kangeroo. The
rare and almost unknown long-beaked echidna, or spiny anteater, a member of
a primitive group of egg-laying mammals called monotremes, was also
encountered. Like all the mammals found in the area, it was completely
unafraid of humans and could be easily picked up, suggesting its previous
contact with man was negligible.
Plants
A total area of about one million hectares of pristine, ancient, tropical,
humid forest containing at least 550 plants species, many previously unknown
and including five new species of palms. One of the most spectacular
discoveries was a so far unidentified species of rhododendron, which has a
white scented flower almost six inches across, equalling the largest
recorded rhododendron flower.
[ed. Of course some twat will claim they evolved as well. :-D]
Butterflies
Entomologists among the scientists identified more than 150 different
species of butterfly, including four completely new species and several new
sub-species, some of which are related to the common English "cabbage white"
butterfly. Other butterflies observed included the rare giant birdwing,
which is the world's largest butterfly, with a wingspan that stretches up to
seven inches.
[ed. Amazing to think they made the leap from being elephants 700 million
years ago in a lightning fast adaptation spanning just 200 million years,
isn't it children?...]
Frogs
The Foja is one of the richest sites for frogs in the entire Asia-Pacific
region, and the team identified 60 separate species, including 20 previously
unknown to science, one of which is only 14mm big. Among their discoveries
were healthy populations of the rare and little-known lace-eyed frog and a
new population of another frog, the Xenorhina arboricola, which had
previously only been known to exist in Papua New Guinea.
[ed. In other words, the most scientists know jack-spratt about the nature
of things, and to suggest they have "solved" anything is indicitive of the
pervading arrogance of these people...no wonder you need computer animations
and gullible undergraduates!]
--
Jim
http://www.geocities.com/anti_multiculture/index.html
Unite Against Multiculturalism!
"Abolish Multiculturalism and String Up The Traitors!"