Discovering Species

The 22-day survey to the Kaijende Highlands of the Enga Province in Papua New Guinea, 2005, covered several sites in the vast near-uninhabited expanse of montane habitat. These survey sites were located in lower and upper montane rainforests, sub-alpine grassland, and stunted upper montane rainforest mosaics in Papua New Guinea’s central cordillera.

The major focus of this expedition was to document the area’s plants and animals, but following the survey all participants were in agreement that the Kaijende Highlands is an area of spectacular topography and scenic beauty. Few regions on the island of New Guinea can rival the breathtaking grandeur of the region’s rugged landscapes, and in the future these outstanding physical features should be targeted for conservation action and to assess tourism potential. The RAP team documented 643 species which included at least 16 species of plants and eight species of frogs that are potentially new to science.

Overall the RAP survey results were spectacular and it is clear that additional biodiversity surveys targeting habitats and elevations that were not covered during the 2005 RAP survey are required, especially in documenting numerous additional species in the proposed Mt. Kaijende Conservation Area. Additional surveys will also be critical for assessing the distribution and conservation status of a number of threatened or significant species encountered or otherwise documented during the 2005 RAP survey.

Species Found