2 April 2026

Now Taking Expressions of Interest to Join a Mega-Trip to West Papua in February 27 with Carlos Bocos and Me

An exciting newsflash. Carlos Bocos and I are talking about visiting West Papua again in the second half of February 2027 for what will be an extraordinary adventure in search of some of Papua’s least known and lost mega mammals like Blue-eyed Spotted Cuscus, Attenborough’s Echidna and the Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo.

Some of you may have heard me moaning in recent trip reports about all the new-to-science species we keep finding. Species I can’t add to my life list. Yes it’s a ‘hard life to be mammalwatcher’ as Katy Hall sympathetically noted in a recent recap.. This trip is very likely to give me more reasons to complain because – based on previous experience with Carlos – if we don’t discover at least one new species and an ‘extinct’ one on this trip I will be disappointed. But if you can cope then so can I.

A mega trip and the sort of adventure a few years I couldn’t even imagine.

Carlos is in China right now and will need to think through the details when he’s back. But what we do know is that the trip will require a reasonable level of fitness. If you know me then you will know that “reasonable” is quite a low bar. Bonus points if you are good with a thermal scope and/or camera. We are looking for only 4 or 5 people to join us and will pick the group carefully.

The cost will likely be in the 5-7k euro range. This is a recce trip. So when Carlos runs it again it will be more expensive. 

If you are interested in joining us please write to me jon@mammalwatching.com and we will get back to you later this month with more details.

 

Jon

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Jon Hall
Genetically Welsh, spiritually Australian, currently in New York City. I’ve also lived and worked in London, Canberra, Paris and Lusaka, and watched mammals in over 100 countries.
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8 Comments

  • 26 April 2026
    Evan

    Just want to say as a low-budget mammalwatcher that I genuinely appreciate the up-front cost estimate. Have fun – sounds like it’ll be fantastic!

  • 5 September 2026
    Daniel Boyland

    Genetic research suggests that populations of tree-kangaroos in the Sudirman Range that were thought to be Seri’s tree-kangaroos may instead be Wondiwoi tree-kangaroos. This could mean the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo has a significantly larger known range than originally thought, though more research is needed.

    https://journals.australian.museum/media/dd/documents/3005_complete.3716310.pdf

  • 6 September 2026
    CarlosBocos

    It would be great indeed Daniel and it says a lot about how little-known are all these tree kangaroos. The accesible part of the range will make a very nice adventure with that tree kangaroo and Weyland Ringtail Possum, Mouse Bandicoot and who knows what else!
    Cheers

    • 6 September 2026
      Daniel Boyland

      Yeah, definitely. It feels like the range has become increasingly inaccessible in recent years due to the ongoing conflict. Do you know where the accessible areas are located?

      The other implication of the paper is that known range of the Seri’s tree-kangaroo is now largely restricted to the Star Mountains. I’m in contact some communities close to the Hindenburg Wall, PNG who can organise an expedition up to Dokfuma where the tree-kangaroos are found.

  • 6 September 2026
    CarlosBocos

    I would go and try in the westernmost part of the mountain range and see if i can find one 🙂

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