Lost Land of the Volcano

[squishy]

Originally Posted by galanthus

The moth moment nearly brought tears to my eyes, that's my idea of complete paradise

seconded

[peter2009]

Report on the findings of Mount Bosavi can be found here
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/springwatch 20090907.pdf

peter

[loripo]

Just giving that another try ok?
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/springwat...t_20090907.pdf

[tcvarlh]

Originally Posted by Hedera

Rivetting watching. What amazed me was they picked up tree frogs in their bare hands - I thought some of them are lethal. Unless they researched them first and knew what they were of course. Didn't care for the leeches, they give me the creeps. Do hope we get to see more.

Hi Hedera,
I also wondered at that, if the frog was a new specie or subspecie I thought 'how do they know it can be touched'? So I looked. And...
As far as I've researched the Dendrobatidae (poison frogs) are restricted to Central to southern parts of Central America, including Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. They also live throughout much of northern to central South America, as far south as Bolivia and southern Brazil. The green and black poison frog, also known as the green poison frog, is the only poison frog to have jumped from its native home in Central and South America to Hawaii. In '32, people brought the frogs from Panama to the Hawaiian island of Oahu with the idea that the frogs would eat some introduced insects on the island. The frogs liked their new home and still live on Oahu today.
I have found NO evidence to prove the Cutaneous Toxicity story whatsoever. The poisons work via the vascular system, although some of the toxins are very powerful indeed and the minutest drop in the bloodstream will kill. They are tiny Frogs, the largest the Venezuelan skunk frog is one of the biggest with the female reaching 2.5".
That said ALL frogs produce poisons from their skin even our poor little froggies. I once handled a Fire Salamander (not a Frog but close) after spending the day chopping wood, the substance got through the blister skin and I can't repeat what I said, not here I'd be frozen forever.
So the guys in Papua-NG knew they were safe to handle.
h

[tcvarlh]

Oh and just one last comment, I loathe all of that team, I am so green with envy. The cave, the moths, Cuscus, Big Willie the wooley rodent, dinkey little parrots (and I dont like parrots much) even that damned great arachnid WANT

Oh and I found a piccie for you ladies : (http)://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/parteegurl26/12715555.jpg

Which I think is Spilocuscus maculatus (short-tailed spotted cuscus)

He/she is plainly CUTE
h

[loripo]

Very cute! Must appeal to the maternal instinct, huge eyes, little pink nose, podgy tum.Awwwwwwwwwwww.

[Dutchess]

I'm an odd mother. I preferred the Woolly Rat

D.

[Hedera]

Thanks, h! Even we ladies don't mind the occasional arachnid or beetle if it's interesting. Cuddly cuscus are all right, but evidently they're a bit smelly.
Good research on the frogs, though; wasn't aware the poisonous ones weren't widespread. I like them too!

[loripo]

There are clips of all of these on various BBC sites - Earth News, Programmes
and expeditions/newguineasforestsecrets - the marvellous moths, giant ratty, Ulla trying to photograph the python and some are on the new BBC Wildlifefinder collections.