Scientists have found two mammals believed new to science on the latest expedition to an almost lost world in Indonesia's Papua Province Conservation International (CI) said in a statement on Monday.
Scientists
have
found
two
mammals
believed
new
to
science
on
the
latest
expedition
to
an
almost
lost
world
in
Indonesia
's
Papua
Province
Conservation
International
(
CI
)
said
in
a
statement
on
Monday
.
Scientists from CI and the Indonesia Institute of Science (LIPI) visited the Foja Mountains in June 2007, following a first trip to the area in late 2005 that saw them discover dozens of new plants and animals.
Scientists
from
CI
and
the
Indonesia
Institute
of
Science
(
LIPI
)
visited
the
Foja
Mountains
in
June
2007
,
following
a
first
trip
to
the
area
in
late
2005
that
saw
them
discover
dozens
of
new
plants
and
animals
.
"During the June expedition, the team found two mammals, a Mallomys giant rat and a Carcartetus pygmy possum, one of the world's smallest marsupials, both currently under study and apparently new to science," CI said in the statement.
``
During
the
June
expedition
,
the
team
found
two
mammals
,
a
Mallomys
giant
rat
and
a
Carcartetus
pygmy
possum
,
one
of
the
world
's
smallest
marsupials
,
both
currently
under
study
and
apparently
new
to
science
,
''
CI
said
in
the
statement
.
"The giant rat is about five times the size of a typical city rat.
``
The
giant
rat
is
about
five
times
the
size
of
a
typical
city
rat
.
With no fear of humans, it apparently came into the camp several times during the trip," said Kristofer Helgen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
With
no
fear
of
humans
,
it
apparently
came
into
the
camp
several
times
during
the
trip
,
''
said
Kristofer
Helgen
,
a
scientist
with
the
Smithsonian
Institution
in
Washington
,
D.C
.
The scientists also recorded the mating displays of several rare and little-known birds for the first time.
The
scientists
also
recorded
the
mating
displays
of
several
rare
and
little-known
birds
for
the
first
time
.
"It's comforting to know that there is a place on earth so isolated that it remains the absolute realm of wild nature," said CI vice president Bruce Beehler, who led the expedition.
``
It
's
comforting
to
know
that
there
is
a
place
on
earth
so
isolated
that
it
remains
the
absolute
realm
of
wild
nature
,
''
said
CI
vice
president
Bruce
Beehler
,
who
led
the
expedition
.
"We were pleased to see that this little piece of Eden remains as attracting as it was when we first visited," he added.
``
We
were
pleased
to
see
that
this
little
piece
of
Eden
remains
as
attracting
as
it
was
when
we
first
visited
,
''
he
added
.
CI and LIPI plan another expedition back to the Foja Mountains in late 2008 or 2009.
CI
and
LIPI
plan
another
expedition
back
to
the
Foja
Mountains
in
late
2008
or
2009
.
They expect to find additional new species of frogs, mammals, butterflies, and plants.
They
expect
to
find
additional
new
species
of
frogs
,
mammals
,
butterflies
,
and
plants
.
Activists have already warned that the forests in the area are under threat from large-scale forest destruction.
Activists
have
already
warned
that
the
forests
in
the
area
are
under
threat
from
large-scale
forest
destruction
.
Indonesia, which is losing its forests at the world's fastest rate, is struggling to save its rainforest from being destroyed.
Indonesia
,
which
is
losing
its
forests
at
the
world
's
fastest
rate
,
is
struggling
to
save
its
rainforest
from
being
destroyed
.
Scientists have found two mammals believed new to science on the latest expedition to an almost lost world in Indonesia's Papua Province Conservation International (CI) said in a statement on Monday. Scientists from CI and the Indonesia Institute of Science (LIPI) visited the Foja Mountains in June 2007, following a first trip to the area in late 2005 that saw them discover dozens of new plants and animals.  "During the June expedition, the team found two mammals, a Mallomys giant rat and a Carcartetus pygmy possum, one of the world's smallest marsupials, both currently under study and apparently new to science," CI said in the statement. "The giant rat is about five times the size of a typical city rat. With no fear of humans, it apparently came into the camp several times during the trip," said Kristofer Helgen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.  The scientists also recorded the mating displays of several rare and little-known birds for the first time. "It's comforting to know that there is a place on earth so isolated that it remains the absolute realm of wild nature," said CI vice president Bruce Beehler, who led the expedition. "We were pleased to see that this little piece of Eden remains as attracting as it was when we first visited," he added.  CI and LIPI plan another expedition back to the Foja Mountains in late 2008 or 2009. They expect to find additional new species of frogs, mammals, butterflies, and plants.  Activists have already warned that the forests in the area are under threat from large-scale forest destruction. Indonesia, which is losing its forests at the world's fastest rate, is struggling to save its rainforest from being destroyed.