Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Golden-mantled tree kangaroo (
Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
)
Why the kangaroos reclaimed the treetops remains a mystery, but one reason might be that
in the rain forest many of the most delectable leaves are above ground level. Tree kangaroos
love to nibble epiphytic orchids, among other canopy-dwelling plants. New Guinea's tree
roos feed both in the canopy and on the ground in the early morning, thus taking advantage
of the absence of primates on this side of Wallace's Line to garner the fruiting displays of
trees while also occupying the niche that a ground-feeding herbivore might hold elsewhere.
Flannery also noted when he was in PNG the devastating effect of subsistence hunting, es-
pecially for species that are naturally rare and have a very circumscribed range. He suggested
that one can predict the extinction dates of rare birds and mammals on the basis of the arrival
time of Christian missionaries. Before missionaries came, mountain clans respected strict ta-
boos on hunting. Some places were off-limits, such as where spirits dwelled; some species
benefited from taboos on hunting during the breeding season as well. These bans honored tra-
ditions but also ensured that hunted species with low reproductive rates could recover. When
priests arrived, they urged converts to ignore taboos and other pagan beliefs; overhunting was
one result.
The team kept their eyes out for more wildlife sightings. The absence of local hunters in
the upper Fojas meant that the region might be ideal habitat for another species seldom ob-
served: the long-beaked echidna, New Guinea's oddest and least studied mammal. On one of
the last few nights of trail surveys, frog expert Steve Richards spotted an echidna that was
