More than 60 years after it was last recorded, a team of scientists have rediscovered Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi), an extremely rare, egg-laying mammal known only to live in the Cyclops Mountains of Indonesia's Papua Province.
The nocturnal monotreme, a distinct group of egg-laying mammals that includes the platypus, was captured for the first time in photos and video footage using over 80 camera traps.
During their search for the long-beaked echidna, the international team of researchers, who worked with local communities on the project, also uncovered a wealth of new species, including an extraordinary tree-dwelling shrimp.
What is a long-beaked echidna?
Dr James Kempton, a biologist from the University of Oxford who led the expedition, said: “Attenborough's long-beaked echidna has the spines of a hedgehog, the snout of an anteater, and the feet of a mole. Because of its hybrid appearance, it shares its name with a creature of Greek mythology that is half human, half serpent.
“The reason it appears so unlike other mammals is because it is a member of the monotremes – an egg-laying group that separated from the rest of the mammal tree-of-life about 200 million years ago.”
Echidnas are nocturnal, live in burrows and are usually very shy, making them notoriously difficult to find.
Quest to find one of the world’s rarest animals
To give themselves the best chance of finding Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, the team spent four weeks in the forest, laying more than 80 trail cameras. Amazingly, it wasn’t until the final day of the expedition – and on the final memory card – that the team got their first shots of the secretive mammal.
The identification of the species was later confirmed by Professor Kristofer Helgen, mammalogist and chief scientist and director of the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI).
“The discovery is the result of a lot of hard work and over three and a half years of planning,” said Dr James Kempton.
“A key reason why we succeeded is because, with the help of the Indonesian NGO Yayasan Pelayanan Papua Nenda (YAPPENDA), we have spent years building a relationship with the community of Yongsu Sapari, a village on the north coast of the Cyclops Mountains. The trust between us was the bedrock of our success because they shared with us the knowledge to navigate these treacherous mountains, and even allowed us to research on lands that have never before felt the tread of human feet.”
Remarkable new discoveries in Indonesia's Cyclops Mountains
Despite the difficulties posed by extremely inhospitable terrain, venomous animals, blood-sucking leeches, malaria, earthquakes and exhausting heat, the team made many other extraordinary findings, including Mayr's honeyeater, a bird last recorded 2008, and numerous new species of insect. They also discovered an entirely new genus of tree-dwelling shrimp.
“We were quite shocked to discover this shrimp in the heart of the forest, because it is a remarkable departure from the typical seaside habitat for these animals,” said Dr Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou, lead entomologist for the expedition.
“We believe that the high level of rainfall in the Cyclops Mountains means the humidity is great enough for these creatures to live entirely on land.”
Dr Kempton added: “Though some might describe the Cyclops as a “Green Hell”, I think the landscape is magical, at once enchanting and dangerous, like something out of a Tolkien book.”
“In this environment, the camaraderie between the expedition members was fantastic, with everyone helping to keep up morale. In the evening, we exchanged stories around the fire, all the while surrounded by the hoots and peeps of frogs.”
What the future holds for the Cyclops Mountains
Attenborough's long-beaked echidna is the flagship animal of the Cyclops Mountains. The team hope that its rediscovery will help bring attention to the conservation needs of Indonesian New Guinea.
YAPPENDA are key to the future protection of Indonesian New Guinea’s natural environment, and one of their primary focuses is to empower Indigenous Papuans. Members of YAPPENDA have already helped train six students from Cenderawasih University (a university in Jayapura, Indonesia) in biodiversity surveys and camera trapping during the expedition.
Dr Davranoglou said: “Tropical rainforests are among the most important and most threatened terrestrial ecosystems. It is our duty to support our colleagues on the frontline through exchanging knowledge, skills, and equipment.”
More information about the expedition can be found at expeditioncyclops.co.uk
Main image, Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi)/Credit: Cyclops Expedition 2023