A daring expedition through the unpredictable and perilous Cyclops Mountains in Indonesia’s Papua province has resulted in the remarkable rediscovery of Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna. This critically endangered egg-laying mammal had not been seen for more than six decades. The Expedition Cyclops team, comprising 25 members, faced challenges like malaria, earthquakes, and even a leech incident, to uncover this symbol of biodiversity.
James Kempton, the team leader from Oxford, described the treacherous journey through the mountains, likening it to climbing a ladder with rotting wood rungs, surrounded by spikes, thorns, vines, and falling rocks. Despite these hurdles, the team’s determination paid off. The less than 90-square-mile Cyclops Mountains, plagued by illegal hunting, is the sole habitat for this unique species, which is on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Kempton’s team strategically deployed over 30 camera traps, hoping to capture evidence of the echidna, indicated by distinctive holes in the ground used for foraging worms. Their persistence was rewarded on the final day of the expedition, with the last images on the last SD card revealing the elusive creature. This discovery brought immense relief and euphoria to the team, as it provided the much-needed scientific proof of the echidna’s existence.
The critically endangered status of the Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, unfortunately, remains unchanged and lacks protection under Indonesian law. The Expedition Cyclops, therefore, included over six local partners, encompassing Indigenous groups, students, and Indonesian government organizations, aiming to raise awareness and funds for research and protection of the Cyclops Mountains.
The Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna is not just a rare species; it represents a vital part of an evolutionary history dating back over 200 million years. As a monotreme, it belongs to a unique group of mammals that lay eggs instead of bearing live young. This group includes only five existing species: the platypus and four echidna species. The potential extinction of such a branch would be a significant loss to biological diversity and evolutionary history.
The expedition’s goals extended beyond the echidna. The team also investigated the origins of the Cyclops Mountains’ biodiversity, discovering hundreds of new insect species, at least two new frog species, and a unique land and tree-dwelling shrimp species. The mountains’ unique geological origins, once islands in the Pacific Ocean, have significantly contributed to this rich biodiversity. Additionally, the team rediscovered Mayr’s honeyeater, a bird species not seen for 15 years.
This expedition underscores the importance of preserving and studying such unique ecosystems, which hold secrets to our planet’s past and present biodiversity.