Papua Barat is the coral reef biodiversity capital

Papua Barat (aka Irian Jaya) is the Indonesian part of the Papuan island shared with Papua Niu Guini. The north western tip where Waigeo, Kofiau and Misool are already very special marine biodiversity areas, including Cape Kri where the former record of 284 fish species found one area is located.

A recent Conservation International expedition in the FakFak/Seram Sea area found even more new things, including 50+ new species of marine life(many endemic to the area). There are many turtle rookeries here including the largest nesting areas for the endangered leatherback turtle.

The diving here is amazing and hopefully Conservation International will get the support it needs to keep it as pristine as when Wallace first called it the most picturesque landscape.

The PDF file from CI is attached.

BHS_Fact_Sheet_5_2006_FINAL.pdf

There is also additional information on the news page with links to some press releases.

Wetpixel news

Hey, I've added a short & fairly basic report from the trip here with CI, check out Fakfak Trip Report. I also added a gallery of macro images and a few topside images from this new region, check out Fakfak Gallery.

I can't wait to get back there in November, next up for this region is going in search of a few more hot critter sites. I have a few already in my mind that look as if they should be hot, we simply never had time to cover it all on our first trip...

So Dru, which trip are you coming on? I know it won't be long before you have to check it out, it's just your kinda thang!

I hope to join up with Mark again soon. I was on a trip with him in January.

Cheers

Todd

Maybe Halmahera will actually turn out to be the hotspot. This area has only been surveyed a tiny amount compared to Irian Jaya now. I am hoping to take Gerry Allen and Mark Erdmann to survey this area more, maybe next year! Gerry Allen certainly thinks that Halmahera may be the biodiversity hot spot!