Discoveries of New Guinea

1994/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Giza zientziak

New Guinea is one of the most unknown places in the world. The island is divided into two parts, one of the State of Indonesia and one of Papua New Guinea. Apart from Greenland, it is the largest island in the world. It has 777,000 square kilometers and large mountain ranges in the center. The mountains of more than 3,000 meters are abundant and covered with tropical forests. That is why it is difficult to reach some territories.

However, two important findings have been made in recent months. The first was made by explorer Patrice Franceschi, who has found in Irian-Jaya a tribe hitherto unknown. So far no one knew their houses, their clothes and language.

The other finding has been that of the tenth species of tree kangaroo. The locals call it us and it is 1.2 meters high. It has black and white hairs and weighs about fifteen kilos. For the Dani and Moni tribes they represent the ancestors and do not eat or hunt them.

Not too fast, it is believed to be in danger of extinction. In fact, land predators abound in their surroundings. Also, do not forget that in 1890 the hare kangaroo was hidden, in 1908 the kangaroo of rats and in 1924 the walabi de Grey.