By Fairfax NZ News
The Rondon Ridge Lodge is high up a mountain and at 4.30am the cloud
is low, sounds are muffled and the night is as black as sin. There is
no-one outside reception. I hear rustling in the bushes and worry
about being bait for a boa constrictor, so I call out. The night
watchman replies. He was as wary of my stealthy footfalls as I was of
his.
A torch beam approaches. It's Joseph Ando, our birding guide. My
friend, Kelly, also a keen birder, joins us and three of us, in
crocodile file, torches bobbing, walk into the jungle and plod up the
mountain.
There is not much Joseph doesn't know about the birds here. His father
was a bird hunter and Joseph spent his youth in the jungle learning
the ways of birds, catching or killing them. Bird-of-paradise feathers
were worth good money - still are - and the meat of bigger birds
provided a family meal. Joseph learned the names of different birds,
their calls and their habits from his father. He also learned to love
and respect birds and the pristine jungle they live in, so he was
happy to move from being a bird hunter to a guide. Rondon Lodge
sponsored him to get the Western ornithological training that birding
guides require.
Now, like a reformed smoker, he's vehemently against hunting and
hunters don't dare go near his patch of jungle.
By 5.15am there is a hint of dawn and the birds start up: trilling,
tweeting whooping, rasping and crying. One sounds like a machine gun.
We walk to a clearing where dewdrops hang on the tips of fairy bamboo,
and birds come to drink it. The clearing allows us to see clearly into
the canopy.
Kelly and I are keen photographers, but these birds are too high in
the trees for my telephoto lens and just when I get a decent shot
lined up they fly away. I give up on photography and relax into the
delight of seeing them up close with binoculars. It's truly thrilling
and soon I have had clear sightings of five different varieties of
bird of paradise.
Papua New Guinea has myriad extraordinary birds, but birds of paradise
are the stars. The family has 40 species in 14 genera, all but two of
which are found only in Papua New Guinea. The males have extraordinary
feathers, often bright and shiny, which they puff up and turn into
shimmering displays when they dance. This is done to attract smaller,
plain-looking females.
Ad Feedback
Click Here
Birds of paradise are fruit, nut and insect eaters and most often live
high in giant trees. Because they have been hunted for over 2000 years
for their fabulous feathers, they are wary of humans.
The gloriously named king of saxony is a small fellow with two fancy
feathers on the back of his head. These feathers are long and slender
with an iridescent blue tuft on the end and he sits on a high branch
waving them around his body like a cheerleader with flags. He's one of
the machine-gun singers and intermittently lets off a volley to
attract the girls.
A black sicklebill, so named because of his long curved bill, hops
about in the crown of a tree directly above our heads. He's over a
metre long with the longest part being his straight, shiny, black tail
feathers. When he displays he stretches to make himself tall, fans out
his tail like a peacock and flaps his wings.
We also see stephanie's astrapia, a purplish bird of paradise with a
glorious blue, green and purple head.
The best time for birding, that intermediate time between night and
day, is soon gone and so have most of the birds so we walk down the
mountain.
The lodge's orchid garden is another of Joseph's passions. In his
downtime, Joseph gathers orchid plants from the forest and attaches
them to mid-sized shade trees. The garden is fenced to keep out pigs,
has a stream running through it and there are plenty of orchids in
glorious bloom.
At times like this I particularly love photography. It forces me to
notice the beauty of the often-overlooked details of flowers; their
throats with animal-like tongues and teeth, the hairy backs of buds,
fine iridescent patterns in bright petals and the sweet vanilla-like
perfume some orchids have. I'm awed by the diversity, delicacy and
beauty of these botanical miracles.
There are over 3000 species of orchid in Papua New Guinea, more than
in any other country, and new species are discovered every year. Papua
New Guinea is close to the equator and has complex geology and high
mountains, ensuring a variety of climate and topography, all of which
leads to this impressive biodiversity.
Next morning we are again up before dawn and bump down into Hagen
Valley in Rondon Lodge's little van. Joseph knows where raggiana bird
of paradise gather. Raggiana is one of the most beautiful and famous
of this species; its image is on the country's flag and is the
insignia of the national airlines.
In a row of casuarina trees three of them are busy dancing and showing
off their feathers. They put their heads down and a fountain of peach
plumage shivers along their backs. Their wings shake and flap. They
bob up and down and call the girls with shrill squawks. But there are
no girls around.
Eventually, they fly away, their long peachy feathers trailing behind
and undulating to the rhythm of their wings. As birding moments go
this is unforgettably paradisiacal.
GETTING THERE
Fly: Pacific Blue to Port Moresby via Brisbane. There are numerous
flights each day between Port Moresby and Mt Hagen on Air Niugini
(airniugini.com.pg) and Airlines PNG (apng.com).
Stay: Rondon Ridge Lodge, on the hill above Mt Hagen, is the latest
addition to the five Trans Niugini Tours lodges in Papua New Guinea.
It's comfortable and cosy, the view is unbeatable and the food and
service are superb. Go birding at dawn and dusk and visit Mt Hagen and
the Waghi villages during the day. All five Trans Niugini Tours'
lodges are in areas with special scenic, cultural and ecological
interest and tailor-made tours, including transport, can be arranged.
Guides are part of the package and safety is not a concern. Further
information: Papua New Guinea Tourism, pngtourism.org.pg.
Monday, October 29, 2012
The Australian Bile File
By JOHN PASQUARELLI
Big deal – we have won a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council
along with Argentina and that shambles of a place Rwanda.
Buckets of Australian taxpayers' cash has been handed out to bongo
bongo UN members by Rudd,
Gillard and Carr to buy their votes for a position where Australia's
vote means zip. What a disgrace the UN is with its looking on when
the Rwandan genocide filled our TV screens as well as the African
health aid scandals and now the Syrian disaster with lots of UN
tut-tutting but no action.
While we are told thousands of Australians are living below the
poverty line and many Aboriginal Australians are living hopeless
lives, Rudd, Carr and others are busy increasing our foreign aid.
Billions have been squandered over the years and closer to home, DFAT
officials on huge salaries throw away our money in PNG where
corruption exists on both sides of the fence.
Years ago I found that UN employees at mid and lower levels received
huge tax free US$ salaries plus perks such as duty free cars.
It's time that the Coalition researched this aspect and tells us what
the score is.
An Abbott Government should not let itself be snowed by the UN.
Big deal – we have won a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council
along with Argentina and that shambles of a place Rwanda.
Buckets of Australian taxpayers' cash has been handed out to bongo
bongo UN members by Rudd,
Gillard and Carr to buy their votes for a position where Australia's
vote means zip. What a disgrace the UN is with its looking on when
the Rwandan genocide filled our TV screens as well as the African
health aid scandals and now the Syrian disaster with lots of UN
tut-tutting but no action.
While we are told thousands of Australians are living below the
poverty line and many Aboriginal Australians are living hopeless
lives, Rudd, Carr and others are busy increasing our foreign aid.
Billions have been squandered over the years and closer to home, DFAT
officials on huge salaries throw away our money in PNG where
corruption exists on both sides of the fence.
Years ago I found that UN employees at mid and lower levels received
huge tax free US$ salaries plus perks such as duty free cars.
It's time that the Coalition researched this aspect and tells us what
the score is.
An Abbott Government should not let itself be snowed by the UN.
New boss for ANZ bank
AUSTRALIA New Zealand (ANZ) Bank chief executive officer for Fiji and
the Pacific Central region Vishnu Mohan has been appointed as the
bank's CEO Pacific.
This will be in addition to the executive position he currently holds.
Mohan, who succeeded Norman Wilson, will be responsible for ANZ's
businesses across 12 Pacific countries and replaces former CEO Pacific
Michael Rowland.
Rowland has taken a new role at ANZ as general manager transformation,
customer experience and business productivity.
Mohan was previously CEO Papua New Guinea and Pacific North West region.
Prior to this, he was an adviser with ANZ's partnership bank AmBank in
Malaysia and spent over 30 years with Standard Chartered Bank in
senior executive roles.
the Pacific Central region Vishnu Mohan has been appointed as the
bank's CEO Pacific.
This will be in addition to the executive position he currently holds.
Mohan, who succeeded Norman Wilson, will be responsible for ANZ's
businesses across 12 Pacific countries and replaces former CEO Pacific
Michael Rowland.
Rowland has taken a new role at ANZ as general manager transformation,
customer experience and business productivity.
Mohan was previously CEO Papua New Guinea and Pacific North West region.
Prior to this, he was an adviser with ANZ's partnership bank AmBank in
Malaysia and spent over 30 years with Standard Chartered Bank in
senior executive roles.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Expansion not part of the Australian Rugby League Commission's vision which will be unveiled in full tomorrow
AAP
EXPANSION is expected to be officially put on the backburner on Monday when the ARL Commission unveils its long-term vision for the game.
With a $1 billion-plus broadcast deal now in place, the ARLC will present its strategic plan for 2013-2017 - with expansion and the split of the funding pie amongst the key topics.
A new logo for the NRL will also be revealed as the commission sets out its long-term priorities at Rugby League Central.
Consortiums up and down the eastern seaboard - including groups in Brisbane, Ipswich and the NSW Central Coast - along with others from Perth, Wellington and even Papua New Guinea have been building their case for inclusion for a number of years.
But intent on ensuring the survival and growth of the 16 teams already in the competition, the ARLC is set to announce that expansion is not on the agenda for at least the next five years.
Bid teams were always facing an uphill battle to secure a start from the moment Nine Network boss David Gyngell indicated more games would not drive up broadcast revenue.
The ARLC will confirm a $5 million salary cap for the 2013 season, while clubs are also set to be given an indication on where the cap and the annual grants will head over coming years.
It is anticipated that a greater financial commitment to both grassroots and country football will be announced, with plans for more NRL games to be played in the bush.
There will also be clarification on representative eligibility for both State of Origin and Test football.
The ARLC's strategic plan has been six months in the planning, though there is still no word on who will be empowered to enact the vison, with no word yet on a replacement for former chief executive David Gallop, who was forced out in June.
Chikungunya virus infection in PNG
On October 3, 2012, health authorities of Papua New Guinea have reported confirmed cases of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection in the province of Sandaun (West Sepik), north-western region of the country, bordering with Indonesia.
The first cases were reported in June 2012 and have corresponded with an increase in heavy rains in the region [1].
Since the beginning of the outbreak, 633 suspected cases have been reported of which 14 have been laboratory-confirmed [2].
These are the first cases to be reported in PNG, however the vector, Aedes albopictus has been present in the country since 2005 [1].
The WHO in PNG is working with the National Department of Health in the implementation of control measures and providing public information[1].
CHIKV is a viral infection of humans and non-human primates transmitted by Aedes spp. mosquitoes.
It is endemic in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the islands of the Indian Ocean, and South and South East Asia. CHIKV does not occur in the UK but cases have been reported in travellers returning from endemic areas, particularly in the Indian subcontinent [3].
In symptomatic illness there is the sudden onset of fever, headache, myalgia and arthralgia.
After two to three days a generalised maculopapular rash can develop.
Most cases recover in three to five days, however, 5-10% of cases can have chronic joint pain, arthritis and fatigue.
Treatment is supportive.
Advice for travellers
There is no vaccine to prevent CHIKV. Travellers to endemic areas can reduce their risk of infection by practising insect bite avoidance measures. Aedes spp. mosquitoes responsible for transmitting CHIKV, are most active during daylight hours. Particular vigilance with bite avoidance should be taken around dawn and dusk.
A map of areas of risk for CHIKV is available from the World Health Organisation.
References:
1. Insitute de Veille Sanitaire. Bulletin Hebdomadaire International No. 368. 3-9 octobre, 2012. In French. [Accessed 19 October 2012]. Available at: http://www.invs.sante.fr/content/download/47413/206694/versio
n/33/file/bhi_368_031012_091012.pdf
2. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Communicable Disease threats Report, 7-13 October 2012, 12. [Accessed 19 October 2012]. Available at: http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/ECDC
3. Health Protection Agency. Chikungunya Epidemological data. Laboratory-confirmed cases of chikungunya by region of travel, England, Wales and Northern Ireland: 2009 – 2010. [Accessed 19 October 2012]. Available at:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/Infections
AZ/Chikungunya/EpidemiologicalData/
Links
New Zealand Foreign Minister visits PNG
Voxy.co.nz
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Papua New
Guinea today to meet members of the new government, including Prime
Minister Peter O'Neill and Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato.
The meetings will include discussions on Asia-Pacific regional issues,
trade and investment links, aid, and political and economic
developments in PNG and Bougainville.
Following the meetings in Port Moresby,
Mr McCully will travel to the Highlands region with Mr Pato for a
first-hand look at economic development, agriculture and energy
opportunities.
"This visit comes at an important juncture in the relationship between
Papua New Guinea and New Zealand," Mr McCully says.
"I will be meeting with a new PNG government, formed after elections
in July for which New Zealand provided vital logistical support."
Mr McCully will be accompanied by a small business delegation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Papua New
Guinea today to meet members of the new government, including Prime
Minister Peter O'Neill and Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato.
The meetings will include discussions on Asia-Pacific regional issues,
trade and investment links, aid, and political and economic
developments in PNG and Bougainville.
Following the meetings in Port Moresby,
Mr McCully will travel to the Highlands region with Mr Pato for a
first-hand look at economic development, agriculture and energy
opportunities.
"This visit comes at an important juncture in the relationship between
Papua New Guinea and New Zealand," Mr McCully says.
"I will be meeting with a new PNG government, formed after elections
in July for which New Zealand provided vital logistical support."
Mr McCully will be accompanied by a small business delegation.
PNG nurses say health care system failing
ABC
Papua New Guinea's nurses say the country's health system is failing
to attend to basic patient needs.
These concerns have been raised as PNG hosts a week long nurses
symposium to discuss the various pressures on the country's healthcare
sector.
PNG Nurses Association President Emi Kaptigau told the situation seems dire.
"We're encountering so many problems, I don't know how we're going to
address them," she said.
She says PNG's health care system is understaffed and under-equipped
to such a degree it can't treat patients properly.
"The basic services of attending to patients as they come and go,
there is lack of manpower and there is lack of supplies, medical
supplies, drugs, equipment and this has affected us so much that we
are not able to effectively meet the need of the people," she said.
"It's just too much for us to bear at this point in time."
Ms Kaptigau says the best nurses in the government system have left
for the private sector and overseas because of the poor working and
pay conditions.
"The pay that we are getting is good enough to survive but because of
the livings standards that is so high the pay is gone by the time we
get it so the next week or two we're living on borrowed money," she
said.
She says the nurses have petitioned PNG's secretary for health about
their concerns.
"He's reassured us that he'll look into it but we need to do a proper
paper for him to present to the O'Neill government," she says.
Last Thursday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, also
raised concerns about PNG's healthcare system, saying it needed
"urgent attention".
Papua New Guinea's nurses say the country's health system is failing
to attend to basic patient needs.
These concerns have been raised as PNG hosts a week long nurses
symposium to discuss the various pressures on the country's healthcare
sector.
PNG Nurses Association President Emi Kaptigau told the situation seems dire.
"We're encountering so many problems, I don't know how we're going to
address them," she said.
She says PNG's health care system is understaffed and under-equipped
to such a degree it can't treat patients properly.
"The basic services of attending to patients as they come and go,
there is lack of manpower and there is lack of supplies, medical
supplies, drugs, equipment and this has affected us so much that we
are not able to effectively meet the need of the people," she said.
"It's just too much for us to bear at this point in time."
Ms Kaptigau says the best nurses in the government system have left
for the private sector and overseas because of the poor working and
pay conditions.
"The pay that we are getting is good enough to survive but because of
the livings standards that is so high the pay is gone by the time we
get it so the next week or two we're living on borrowed money," she
said.
She says the nurses have petitioned PNG's secretary for health about
their concerns.
"He's reassured us that he'll look into it but we need to do a proper
paper for him to present to the O'Neill government," she says.
Last Thursday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, also
raised concerns about PNG's healthcare system, saying it needed
"urgent attention".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)