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Our peopleAll the tours featured on www.PapuaExpeditions.com are operated by indigenous communities, entitled to ancestral land rights at the respective destinations that we promote, and empowered by our dedicated in-house team of exceptional guides. There are thus many rewarding opportunities to interact with the people of Papua, and this may well prove to be the most memorable and educational part of your journey. But of course, the competence and personality of tour guides still constitute the prime determinants that really 'make' a trip for most participants. You will experience that ours are justly passionate about this most extraordinary of lands, its remarkable peoples and 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. World 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 1,400 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 40 out of the 43 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 — 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. Iwein's better half is Like Wijaya (°1984), a daughter of Raja Ampat and truly a jack-of-all-trades. Foremost, a visionary and ardent supporter of life on Earth, at age just 24 she concludes an ambitious and innovative conservation agreement with customary landholding groups on Waigeo in a bid to preserve a magnificently forested river catchment on the island for future generations, thereby bringing new hope to globally threatened wildlife on Waigeo. Like has traveled extensively throughout Papua, and in the field is a skillful organizer, troubleshooter and negotiator, an accomplished and inventive cook, as well as a first-rate bird spotter. In fact, she probably has seen more Papua endemics than any other Indonesian ornithologist or bird guide alike, including Bruijn's Brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii, Kofiau Paradise-Kingfisher Tanysiptera ellioti, Snow Mountain Robin Petroica archboldi, and Kofiau Monarch Monarcha julianae, all of which still have only been seen by a handful of intrepid birders. With a multitude of administrative skills, she is also the driving force in the office. Finally, Like speaks fluent English, Dutch and Indonesian. Related linksRead on about the Community Conservation and Ecotourism Agreement that Papua Expeditions recently concluded for the Orobiai River catchment on Waigeo Island. Read 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 the 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. My heartfelt thanks
to Iwein and Like for making it all not only
possible but pleasant, and
to my companions for making it downright
priceless. And remember: any time
you're in Tokyo, be sure to get
in touch - you can buy me dinner :-) Although the weather could have been better, the trip was really even better than expected. Iwein and Like you did a marvelous job in showing the birds and preparing excellent food. [Piet Opstaele, Belgium] A resounding thank you
for introducing us to so many wonderful
birds. Not cheap — everything
is expensive here at the end of the world
— but worth every cent. |
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