Indonesia – West Papua, Raja Ampat & the Moluccas

I visited West Papua’s Vogelkop’s Peninsula and Waigeo Island in June 2023 for an incredible two weeks of mammalwatching.

Gunung Mupi

Vogelkop Tree Kangaroo (Dendrogalus ursinus)

Six nights in this hard to reach mountain camp in June 2023 was a mammalwatching nirvana. We saw Raffray’s Bandicoot (Peroryctes raffrayana), Common Echymipera (Echymipera kalubu), Ground Cuscus (Phalanger gymnotis), Northern Common Cuscus (P.orientalis), Arfak Ringtail (Pseudochirulus schlegelii), D’Albertis’s Ringtail (Pseudochirops albertisii) and Reclusive Ringtail (P.coronatus).

Arfak Ringtail (Pseudochirulus schlegelii)

We also saw Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata), Papuan Glider (Petaurus papuanus), Feather-tailed Possum (Distoechurus pennatus), Grizzled Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus inustus), Vogelkop Tree Kangaroo (D.ursinus), a possible Broad-headed Tree Mouse (Chiruromys lamia), Black-tailed Melomys (Melomys rufescens), Chestnut Tree Mouse (Pogonomys macrourus)and Gray-bellied Tree Mouse (P.sylvestris).

Northern Common Cuscus (Phalanger orientalis)

As well as Geoffroy’s Rousette (Rousettus amplexicaudatus), Dagger-toothed Long-nosed Fruit Bat (Macroglossus minimus), Common Blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis), Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia moluccensis), Unstriped Tube-nosed Bat (Paranyctimene raptor), Round-eared Tube-nosed Bat (Nyctimene cyclotis), Lesser Sheath-tailed Bat (Mosia nigrescens) and Small Melanesian Bent-winged Bat (Miniopterus macrocneme).

Grizzled Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus inustus)

Manokwari and around

Stein’s Cuscus (Phalanger vestitus)

In June 2023 a night walk in the Arfaks (about 2 hours drive from Manokwari) produced a Reclusive Ringtail (Pseudochirulus coronatus), several Arfak Ringtails (Pseudochirulus schlegelii)and both Unstriped Tube-nosed Bat (Paranyctimene raptor) and Round-eared Tube-nosed Bat (Nyctimene cyclotis).

Lesser Bare-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia minor)

A bat cave close to the city in June 2023 held both Lesser Bare-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia minor) and Raffray’s Sheath-tailed Bat (Emballonura raffrayana).

Malagufuk and around

Western Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bruijnii)

One epic night in a village close to Malagufuk in June 2023 produced Western Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bruijnii), Black-tailed Dasyure (Murexia melanurus) and a Long-fingered Triok (Dactylopsila palpator).

Long-fingered Triok (Dactylopsila palpator)

We also saw Bruijn’s Pogonomelomys (Pogonomelomys bruijnii), Large Spiny Rat (Rattus praetor), Lesser Sheath-tailed Bat (Mosia nigrescens) and Maluku Myotis (Myotis moluccarum).

Malagufuk boardwalk

During five nights In Malagufuk itself in June 2023 we found Müller’s Three-striped Dasyure (Myoictis melas), Black-tailed Dasyure (Murexia melanurus), Common Echymipera (Echymipera kalubu), Long-nosed Echymipera (E.rufescens), Northern Common Cuscus (Phalanger orientalis) and Lowland Ringtail (Pseudochirulus canescens).

Lowland Ringtail (Pseudochirulus canescens)

As well as Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata), Papuan Glider (Petaurus papuanus), Brown Dorcopsis (Dorcopsis muelleri), Common Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster), and Long-footed Tree Mouse (Lorentzimys nouhuysii).

Müller’s Three-striped Dasyure (Myoictis melas)

We also saw Black-tailed Melomys (Melomys rufescens), Common Lowland Paramelomys (Paramelomys platyops), Bruijn’s Pogonomelomys (Pogonomelomys bruijnii),Loria’s Pogonomys (Pogonomys loriae), White-tailed Giant Rat (Uromys caudimaculatus), Polynesian Rat (Rattus exulans)and a mystery rat that night be a Large Spiny Rat (Rattus praetor).

Great Flying Fox (Pteropus neohibernicus)

There were plenty of bats too: Common Blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis), Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia moluccensis), Unstriped Tube-nosed Bat (Paranyctimene raptor), Greater Tube-nosed Bat (Nyctimene aello), Common Tube-nosed Bat (N.albiventer), Large-eared Flying Fox (Pteropus macrotis), Great Flying Fox (P.neohibernicus), Diadem Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros diadema), Biak Leaf-nosed Bat (H.papua), Raffray’s Sheath-tailed Bat (Emballonura raffrayana), Lesser Sheath-tailed Bat (Mosia nigrescens) and the little known Fly River Woolly Bat (Kerivoula muscina).

Waigeo Island

Waigeo Cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis)

During two lazy nights on Waigeo in June 2023 we saw Waigeo Cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis), Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata) and Large-eared Flying Fox (Pteropus macrotis).

Biak Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros papua)

A couple of bat caves produced a White-tailed Giant Rat (Uromys caudimaculatus), Trident Leaf-nosed Bat (Aselliscus tricuspidatus), Fawn-colored Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros cervinus), Maggie Taylor’s Leaf-nosed Bat (H.maggietaylorae) and Biak Leaf-nosed Bat (H.papua), We found New Guinea Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus euryotis) and Little Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus australis) flying around our resort.

On the ferry ride over to the island from Sorong we saw pods of Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris), Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) and Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra).