A frog with a Pinocchio-like extendable nose was among more than a dozen new species discovered in a remote mountain wilderness in Indonesia.
Wildlife found in the Foja Mountains included several new mammals, such as the world’s smallest wallaby, a blossom bat that feeds on rainforest nectar, and a giant woolly rat, as well as a host of insects and other animals. The discoveries — which also included a gargoyle-like gecko with yellow eyes — were made during a survey of the area by Conservation International.
The Foja Mountains, classified as a national wildlife sanctuary, are in the Indonesian province of Papua on the island of New Guinea, and encompass more than 300,000 hectares (1,200 sq miles) of undisturbed rainforest.
The team of 17 scientists and 30 local naturalists found an array of species, including a number believed to be new to science — such as the frog, with a long protuberance that points up when the male is calling but deflates when he is less active.
Paul Oliver, a herpetologist from the University of Adelaide, noticed the amphibian sitting on a bag of rice in the campsite where the team was based. The new forest wallaby is now the smallest known member of the kangaroo family. A black-and-white butterfly related to the common monarch was also discovered, along with a tree mouse and imperial pigeons — with feathers coloured rusty, white and grey.
The expedition, in November 2008, is featured in the June edition of National Geographic magazine, with images by Tim Laman, a wildlife photographer. The discoveries were announced a week after the UN said that governments had failed to meet a 2010 target to halt the rate at which species were disappearing.
Bruce Beehler, a senior research scientist at Conservation International and a member of the expedition team, said: “While animals and plants are being wiped out across the globe at a pace never seen in millions of years, the discovery of these absolutely incredible forms of life is much-needed positive news.
“Places like these represent a healthy future for all of us, and show that it is not too late to stop the current species extinction crisis.”
Conservation International hopes that its documentation of the unique wildlife of the Foja Mountains will encourage the Indonesian Government to increase long-term protection of the area.
As well as the dwarf wallaby, scientists obtained the first photographs of the extremely rare golden-mantled tree kangaroo, which is critically threatened by hunting in other parts of New Guinea.
The mountainous region has been called the “Lost World” because the complete absence of roads has protected it from development and, together with its tropical environment and elevation, made it a perfect incubator for diverse species.
The team was dropped off by helicopter, and spent four weeks exploring the mountains, up to 2,200m (7,000ft).
