Kapuas expedition finds giant squirrel in heart of darkness
Kapuas expedition finds giant squirrel in heart of darkness
JAKARTA (JP): A 40-day expedition, along the rivers of Kapuas
and Mahakam stretching from west to east Kalimantan, concluded
yesterday in Samarinda with a bonus -- the belief that they may
had discovered a new animal species.
The animal, a giant squirrel, was discovered when the 20-
person team was cruising the Muller mountain located in the
interior bordering West and East Kalimantan, according to Julius
Pour, their spokesman in Jakarta.
Julius said the team also discovered the kantong semar, an
insect-eating plant with a diameter of three meters, enggang
birds, honey bears, wild orchids and fern as thick as 20
centimeters.
Mulyawan Karim, the expedition team leader, told Antara upon
arrival in Samarinda that the squirrel whose length almost
reaches one meter was not included in the reference book.
He said the assumption about the animal's novelty was
supported by a zoologist who participated in the journey. Another
interesting fact recorded by the team in the mountain was the
discovery of orang utan's footprints, he added.
"The discovery is considered special because it tells us that
the animals still live there, meaning we should start efforts to
protect them," he said.
Mulyawan said that it was widely believed that orang utan in
Muller mountain had perished.
The expedition called "Kapuas-Mahakam Expedition 1994, Kompas-
Gramedia-Mapala UI" was carried out to mark the centenary
anniversary of the historic expedition conducted by a Dutch
military doctor Anton W. Nieuwenhuis, who explored the biological
and cultural environment along the two rivers.
Book
In addition to his scientific purpose, Nieuwenhuis also led a
mission by the Dutch colonial rulers to end the inter-tribal wars
and head-hunting traditions which made the Dayak indigenous
people infamous.
Among the targets of the Rp 250 million-expedition was to
promote the ecotourism and agrotourism of the region and to
gather facts which will be used for a book.
The expedition, jointly organized by the Kompas newspaper,
the Gramedia publishing company and Mapala UI; the organization
for nature lovers of the University of Indonesia; started in
Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan in mid June.
Mulyawan said the journey covered 1,000 kilometers of trekking
and cruising the Kapuas and Mahakam rivers, passing the rough
rapids in Putussibau, West Kalimantan, and Long Pahangai in the
other province.
He said some of the boats overturned when passing the rapids,
but luckily no injuries occurred, Antara reported.
Participants of the expedition include reporters working for
Kompas and other publications published by Gramedia such as
Jakarta Jakarta, Hai, Kawanku and Foto Media.
State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono joined the expedition team at
certain points. (par)