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Sudirman Mountains (Snow Mountains)

The Sudirman Mountains or Snow Mountains (former Nassau Mountains) are the highest mountains of New Guinea, with Mount Jaya (Mount Carstensz) as the highest peak (5030 meter). Jan Carstensz spotted the snow on this mountain as early as 1623 when sailing along the south coast, but his story was not believed in Europe. Later, in respect of his discovery, the mountain was named after him. The high mountains also attracted many expeditions to conquer the steep and difficult slopes, many times without success. There was even a real "race to the snow" when several expeditions were attempting to climb the mountains in the same period. The mountains itself may be interesting for alpinists, but for biologist the lower altitudes are more interesting, since hardly any animals or plants live at these high altitudes. Apart from political, geological and geografical expeditions there were some biological surveys in the Snow Mountains. The most important expedition with the best results so far has been undertaken in 1912 by A.F.R. Wollaston for the British Ornithological Union, also known as the Wollaston Expedition.

South of the Snow Mountains is the Lorentz Reserve, a wide national park in which the World Wildlife Fund is active with biological reasearch. Close to this protected area, in the west, is the famous Freeport copper mine in Tembagapura. The mining of copper in this area is devastating for nature, the landscape and the local people. The area around Timika shows a desolate scenery with dying forests and poisoned rivers. Polution, destruction and corruption are three examples of ingredients we don't need in Papua and certainly not near a protected area. It is out of our scope to discuss this in detail, but it certainly has influence on the results of our research for biodiversity hotspots.

Base of map by onearth.jpl.nasa.gov (modified with geographic names by Papua-Insects)

for an empty map with clear view click here

 

Entomological expeditions

• 1904 - 1905 The first Southwest New Guinea expedition (K.N.A.G.) on the Digoel River and the Setakwa River, by J.A. Kroesen, R.J. Posthumus Meyjes, E.J. de Rochemont, J.W.R. Koch and C. Moerman.
• 1905 - The second Southwest New Guinea expedition (K.N.A.G.) on the Digoel River by J.A. Kroesen and R.J. Posthumus Meyjes.
• 1907 - The first South New Guinea expedition by H.A. Lorentz, J.W. van Nouhuys, G.M. Versteeg and J.M. Dumas. Discovery of mountain papuas, "Pesegems".
• 1909 - 1910 The second South New Guinea expedition by H.A. Lorentz, J.W. van Nouhuys, L.I.A.M. von Römer, R. Jaarman and D. Habbema. They reach the snow of Mt. Wilhelmina (Mt. Trikora).
• 1909 - 1911 The first English South New Guinea expedition by W. Goodfellow, A.F.R. Wollaston, G.R. Shortridge, W. Stalker, Capt. C.G. Rawling, E.S. Marshall and N.I.L.H.A. Cramer (by the British Ornithological Union). They came in touch with small mountain papuas.
• 1910 - Lieutenant Van der Bie, Postema and Dumas explore the Setakwa and Utakwa River. The famous naturalist A.S. Meek was accompanying them as a guest and collected many lepidoptera until March 1911.
• 1912 - 1913 - The third South New Guinea expedition by Capt. A. Franssen Herderschee, A.A. Pulle, P.P. Hubrecht, G.M. Versteeg, J.H. Sitanala and Lieutenant L.A. Snell. They reach the top of Mt. Wilhelmina (Mt. Trikora).
• 1912 - 1913 The second English South New Guinea expedition by Wollaston, C. Bowden Kloss, Capt. Rawling and Lieutenant A. van de Water, known as the Wollaston Expedition. They do not succeed in reaching the snow of Mt. Carstensz (Mt. Jaya) for 400 meters! Wollaston collects many lepidoptera of great importance on this expedition.
• 1938 - 1939 Miss Cheesman joines the third Archbold Expedition to the Snow Mountains, which was very successful. L.J. Toxopeus leads the expedition. In this expedition also the Wissel Lakes (Paniai) were visited.
• 2013 Henk van Mastrigt visits the Wild family in Mokndoma, Snow Mountains. This area proves to be very promissing for good collecting with many new species discovered.