Mount Bosavi
Encyclopedia
Mount Bosavi is a mountain in the Southern Highlands province, Papua New Guinea
. It is the collapsed cone of an extinct volcano on the Great Papuan Plateau
, part of the Kikori River
basin. The crater is approximately 4 km wide and 1 km deep; it is home to a number of unique species.
Part of the mountain is included in the Sulamesi Wildlife Management Area, established in 2006. It forms part of the proposed UNESCO
World Heritage Site
Kikori River Basin/Great Papuan Plateau.
The people living just north of the mountain refer to themselves as Bosavi kalu (people of Bosavi) and divide into four culturally identical but linguistically marked groups, the Kaluli
, Ologo, Walulu, and Wisesi. Collectively they are often referred to as Bosavi kalu ("men of Bosavi").
discovered more than 40 previously undescribed species, including 16 frogs, at least 3 fish, several insects and spiders, a bat, and a giant rat
, measuring 82 cm in length and weighing approximately 1.5 kg.Mount Bosavi is also the type locality for Pseudohydromys pumehanae
, a recently described species of moss-mouse.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. It is the collapsed cone of an extinct volcano on the Great Papuan Plateau
Great Papuan Plateau
The Great Papuan Plateau is a karst plateau in the Southern Highlands and Western Provinces of Papua New Guinea. It is bordered the upper stretches of the Kikori River and the Strickland River on the east and west, respectively, and the Karius Range, the southern edge of the highlands, including...
, part of the Kikori River
Kikori River
The Kikori River is a river in southern Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea .The river is about long and flows southeast into the Gulf of Papua, with its delta at the head of the gulf. The settlement of Kikori lies on the delta.-References:...
basin. The crater is approximately 4 km wide and 1 km deep; it is home to a number of unique species.
Part of the mountain is included in the Sulamesi Wildlife Management Area, established in 2006. It forms part of the proposed UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
Kikori River Basin/Great Papuan Plateau.
The people living just north of the mountain refer to themselves as Bosavi kalu (people of Bosavi) and divide into four culturally identical but linguistically marked groups, the Kaluli
Kaluli
The Kaluli are a clan of non-literate indigenous peoples who live in the rain forests of Great Papuan Plateau in Papua New Guinea. The Kaluli, who numbered approximately 2000 people in 1987, are the most numerous and well documented by post-contact ethnographers and missionaries among the four...
, Ologo, Walulu, and Wisesi. Collectively they are often referred to as Bosavi kalu ("men of Bosavi").
Fauna and flora
A 2009 expedition by an international team of scientists and a television crew from the BBC Natural History UnitBBC Natural History Unit
The BBC Natural History Unit is a department of the BBC dedicated to making television and radio programmes with a natural history or wildlife theme, especially nature documentaries...
discovered more than 40 previously undescribed species, including 16 frogs, at least 3 fish, several insects and spiders, a bat, and a giant rat
Bosavi Woolly Rat
The Bosavi Woolly Rat is a species of rodent that was discovered deep in the jungle of Papua New Guinea in 2009. It is believed to belong to the genus Mallomys, within the family Muridae, according to initial investigation, although this has yet to be published...
, measuring 82 cm in length and weighing approximately 1.5 kg.Mount Bosavi is also the type locality for Pseudohydromys pumehanae
Southern small-toothed moss-mouse
The Southern small-toothed moss-mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found on the slopes of Mount Bosavi, Papua New Guinea....
, a recently described species of moss-mouse.
External links
- Satellite view from the European Space AgencyEuropean Space AgencyThe European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
- WWF page of Libano and Sulamesi Wildlife Management Areas, including map
- WWF pictures from Mt. Bosavi and region
- Seacology Mt. Bosavi Rainforest Conservation Project SeacologySeacologySeacology is a nonprofit 501 charitable organization headquartered in Berkeley, California that focuses on preserving island ecosystems and cultures around the globe. Founded in 1991, it began with the work of ethnobotanist Paul Alan Cox, who researched tropical plants and their medicinal value in...