INDONESIAN GLOBAL TREASURE_size : W280x H260mm BK287543_#175_iso39L_GP5_D_12_012 INDONESIAN GLOBAL TREASURE_size : W280x H260mm BK287543_#175_iso39L_GP5_D_12_012

INDONESIA GL BAL TREASURE

Lembeh Strait Kingdom f the World’s Strangest Critters

wo American ladies went on present. The assemblage of “out of the ordinary” creatures at Lembeh a cruise with Billy Martindaz, is impressive: Ambon scorpionfish (Pteroidichthys amboinensis), aka the Elvis of North . stonefish, sea robins, stargazers, devilfish and even the weedy They fell in love with , and leased scorpionfish (Rhinopias frodosa) are often found. Seahorses (pygmy a plot of land on Kungkungan Bay, to develop a and others) are numerous and the Pegasus, ghost pipefish and the resort for their American friends. They handed over endemic Banggai cardinalfish are also prolific. tthe ‘fun’ part of the game plan to one of their sons, Mark Ecenbarger. (oversee the construction) Mark got bored with the contractors and Nowhere else in the world exists an array of weird and wonderful went diving around the bay. He found living jewels among the black critters in such variety and density. By comparison, at Milne Bay sand and the rest as they say, is history. I first explored Lembeh Strait in Papua , you may sometimes find the mimic with Mark one morning in 1993 and was immediately obsessed. octopus, frogfish or pygmy seahorse, and at other times, you may find a harlequin shrimp, ghost pipefish, skeleton Between the northern tip of the North Sulawesi peninsula and Lembeh shrimp and weedy scorpionfish (the Holy Grail of ), Island, lies a 16-kilometre long strait. By now, there are over 45 sites but it would be most unusual to find all of these weirdoes for observing a rich array of marine critters, found on rocky patch reefs and oddballs at the same time. However, on my last visit but mostly on black sandy slopes. This is a universe of the weird and to Lembeh Strait with Benny Sarindah of Lembeh Hills wonderful. Expanses of reefs are found in a few spots in the northern Resort, I saw them all in just two-and-a-half days! end of the strait where soft , sea fans and hard coverage Serious naturalists and photographers should bring are prolific. Critters such as the mimic octopus, wonderpus, along a ‘shopping’ list when visiting Lembeh octopus, hairy frogfish, flamboyant , harlequin shrimp, blue Strait. In most cases, wishes are 100 ring octopus, bumble bee shrimp and skeleton shrimp are predictably percent fulfilled with bonus!

Tango in the Dark Flamboyant cuttlefish ( pfefferi )

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