06/08/2024
Western Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bruijni), Malagufuk, West Papua, July 2026.
Seeing this incredible, Critically Endangered beast after quite a lot of effort was certainly my personal highlight on the recently finished Ornis Birding Expeditions custom tour to Vogelkop West Papua.
Until as recently as last year, this extraordinaire mammal, which looks like an impossible cross between a Kiwi, a dwarf Elephant and a giant naked Hedgehog (!!), was basically a mythical, dream-only creature. However, Carlos N. G. Bocos put it on everyone´s radar last summer, much to the world’s excitement, after finding it on a pioneering mammal watching tour in West Papua. Since then, a handful of sightings of this almost unknown animal have taken place in the same general area, including one on our last Ornis tour back in November. And as a result, other groups have visited the village recently, which has benefitted both the local community and the conservation of the forest and its wildlife, including the echidna, which at the end of the day is what really matters.
I was seriously gripped, of course, so we decided to add a day at the beginning of the tour to try to see it. However, in spite of searching all night for it, we didn´t succeed. I thought that was it, but the following night, while in Malagufuk, locals told us we could also try to see it in an area located a couple of miles, on foot, from the village. Of course we didn´t even think about it, and went out straight after dinner. Thankfully some keen and very skilled local villagers joined us, and once in the area we split up. After a few hours and when I thought we would fail again... one of the locals found it, and we enjoyed some amazing, walk-away views of this simply amazing creature.
Definitely an unforgettable moment for me. Thanks Carlos and Josh for the advice and help, and of course everyone in Malagufuk for making this possible. I can only hope echidna numbers in the area build up so that others can also enjoy them...
