I think it's absolutely stunning, and totally exciting that a place like this can still exist in 2006. It gives me hope that there may be other places like it still, in the Congo, the Amazon, the Andes, or perhaps even in remote Chinese and Himalayan regions that are geographically and politically inaccessible. I doubt however, that the overwhelming abundance of new species of plants, birds, amphibians and wildlife would be found anywhere but on New Guinea. It's island isolation and perfect tropical atmosphere make it a hotbed for evolutionary marvels. One of my favorite books is Throwim' Way Leg: Tree-Kangaroos, Possums, and Penis Gourds (take THAT site meter!), by Tim Flannery (who is also an amazing biologist who has written a lot of other good stuff - check him out - he's the Australian Stephen Jay Gould). It describes the earliest days of the exploration of New Guinea and its indigenous peoples and the clash of cultures when Stone Age meets modern technology. Even then (the 80's), it was clear that there was a vast, untouched landscape in New Guinea that had yet to be discovered.
I hope they do everything possible to protect this region as exactly as they describe it "The Garden of Eden". We don't belong there anymore. We lost that right a long time ago, and we need to hold it precious.
I saw the article in USA Today about it -- how cool! It's crazy to think there are still perhaps large segments of the planet's landmass that have yet to be explored. It's gotta be a naturalist's dream.
(As an aside, I think it'd be really cool if somewhere they found a patch of unexplored land and came across a Saber Tooth Tiger or something. That'd be badass).
I saw the article in USA Today about it -- how cool! It's crazy to think there are still perhaps large segments of the planet's landmass that have yet to be explored. It's gotta be a naturalist's dream.
(As an aside, I think it'd be really cool if somewhere they found a patch of unexplored land and came across a Saber Tooth Tiger or something. That'd be badass).