Surprising new species found in the virgin forests of Foja Mountains , Top Story - ecPulse.com

Surprising new species found in the virgin forests of Foja Mountains , Top Story - ecPulse.com

Nature does not stop short of surprises! The Australian scientists found hidden in the virgin forests of Foja Mountains in western Indonesia several new species, including a Pinocchio-nosed frog and the world's smallest wallaby (kangaroo).


The Australian scientist Paul Oliver is the one lead the team during an expedition to the Foja Mountains in West Papua in Indonesia that started in 2008, and which led to the incredible discovery of several new species.

Although Paul Oliver and his team endured torrential rainstorms and life-threatening floods, they were determined to explore the isolated and most undeveloped rainforest block in the Asia-Pacific region because of its precious biodiversity.

"It is not an exaggeration to say that the Foja Mountains are well-defended against any access", said expedition participant Bruce Beehler. Seemingly, their appears that their expedition was not disappointing at all.

The 300,000 hectares of undeveloped and undisturbed rainforest in the Foja Mountains were hiding several new species, including never-before-seen mammals, a reptile, an amphibian, at least 12 insects and a new bird.

The amphibian is a tree frog with a Pinocchio-like spiked nosed which points upward when the male is calling but then deflates when the frog is less active. The wallaby that was found appears to be the world’s smallest kangaroo; however, they also spotted an extremely rare golden-mantled tree-kangaroo.

Scientists also discovered an oversized woolly rat, a bent-toed gecko with intriguing yellow eyes, a new blossom bat that feeds on rainforest nectar, a small new tree-mouse, a new black and white butterfly, a new flowering shrub and a new imperial pigeon with rusty, whitish and grey colored feathers.

Scientists however warned that growing population, deforestation and climate change might lead to the loss of this biodiversity, and urged the government to conserve it and “pay more attention to protecting the new species that have not been recorded yet”.