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The guidesThe competence and personality of tour guides constitute the prime determinants that help 'make' a trip for most participants. You'll experience that ours are justly passionate about this most magical of lands and its unique biota, and above all are keen on sharing this enthusiasm and affection together with others in a manner that is both highly rewarding as enjoyable. Belgian birder Iwein Mauro (°1975) first visited Papua in 2000 and has been spellbound ever since, gradually amassing an intimate knowledge of the territory's avifauna. His personal ornithological field experience totals in excess of 750 bird days at bivouacs scattered across the territory; probably more than anyone else of comparable age in the world. Undoubtedly the outstanding result of his ardent explorations is the field discovery of Bruijn's Brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii, arguably the most enigmatic and sought-after bird species of the entire New Guinea region. To date, Iwein has seen 38 out of the 42 currently accepted Papua endemic species. Having previously birded extensively throughout the Indian Subcontinent, mainland South-East Asia, the Philippines and the Indonesian archipelago — including a long spell in Wallacea where he has observed no less than 229 out of 255 endemics — Iwein immediately appreciated the singular uniqueness of the vast, violently enrapturing, tropical wilderness area that Papua still is. For your convenience, he expresses himself proficiently in English, Dutch, French and Indonesian. Zeth Wonggor (°1965) is an indigenous Hatam, one of three highland tribes that call the Arfak Mountains home. His traditional knowledge of the local flora and fauna — anyone he's ever taken in tow will readily affirm — is quite simply uncanny. Over the past 15 years, Zeth's impressive birding skills have earned him a reputation of consistently bringing the dream birds of his 'local patch' — which include such delights as Long-tailed Paradigalla Paradigalla carunculata, Western Parotia Parotia sefilata and Arfak Astrapia Astrapia nigra — within reach of dozens of overseas visitors. Zeth must have been among the first Hatam to esteem the value of wild birds and the key role ecotourism could play in the sustainable development of traditional societies living in remote mountains, and he gradually placed the ancestral lands belonging to his village on the world ecotourism map. But there is much more: through continuous advocacy and education, as well as constant vigilance to involve all villagers and landowners equitably in ecotourism activities, Zeth single-handedly reduced hunting pressure and habitat destruction on village land. In so doing he even brought back the rare Long-tailed Paradigalla from the brink of local extirpation there. Such achievements are no less than remarkable considering these essentially sprout from personal strength and motivation alone. Related linksRead on about the field discovery of Bruijn's Brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii by Mauro (from www.publish.csiro.au). Read on about the conservation status of Bruijn's Brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii by Mauro (from www.journals.cambridge.org). Read on about the enigmatic Heinrich's Nightjar Eurostopodus diabolicus of Sulawesi by Mauro (from www.orientalbirdclub.org). Read on about the discovery of Cinnabar Hawk-Owl Ninox ios in Central Sulawesi by Mauro (in PDF-format, from www.orientalbirdclub.org). Read on about the first documented field observation of Minahassa Owl Tyto inexspectata on Sulawesi since 1938 by Mauro and Drijvers (in PDF-format, from www.orientalbirdclub.org). Read on about field observations of Rusty-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx hyperythra in Darjeeling by Mauro and Vercruysse (in PDF-format, from www.orientalbirdclub.org). Read on about the first record of Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula for Thailand by Mauro (in PDF-format, from www.orientalbirdclub.org). |
Thank you for your hospitality
and kindness on my recent trip. You
provided all I could have hoped for and more.
Iwein's skills as a naturalist,
and his knowledge of Papuan
birds in particular, were uncanny. |
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