Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna is known from a single specimen collected by a Dutch botanist in 1961, and currently held in the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden. The species was, until recently, believed to be restricted to a single mountain peak in the Cyclops Mountains in the Indonesian province of Papua (on the western side of the island of New Guinea). There have been few systematic attempts to survey the flora and fauna of the Cyclops Mountains and no mammal surveys in the region since the type specimen was collected. The main threats to the species are not known, although other long-beaked echidnas are threatened by hunting and human encroachment onto their habitat.

During the May 2007 EDGE research expedition, convincing evidence was obtained that the Attenborough’s echidna survives in the Cyclops. Nose-pokes (holes in the ground made by long-beaked echidnas searching for worms) and burrows thought to have been made by Attenborough’s echidna were found on the slopes of the mountains, and local community members positively identified the species, reporting that they had seen it as recently as 2005. Furthermore, the species is believed to occur in the lowlands surrounding the mountains in addition to the higher peaks. If this is true, then it greatly expands the known range of the species, which was previously thought to be less than 50km².

The signs are encouraging, but it is vital that we assess the conservation status of this poorly-known species as soon as possible. EDGE researchers hope to initiate a monitoring programme in conjunction with local students from the Cenderawasih University, Jayapura. This will provide essential information on the distribution and population status of the species, as well as other poorly-known and evolutionarily distinct mammal species present in the reserve and surrounding areas. These data will be used to assist in the development of a Conservation Action Plan for the Cyclops Mountains mammal fauna.

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