Biodiversity assessment of the PNG LNG Upstream Project Area, Southern Highlands and Hela Provinces, Papua New Guinea Edited by Stephen Richards ISBN: 978-0-646-98050-8 (PDF version) Suggested citation: Richards, S.J. (Editor) 2017. Biodiversity Assessment of the PNG LNG Upstream Project Area, Southern Highlands and Hela Provinces, Papua New Guinea. ExxonMobil PNG Limited. Port Moresby. © 2017 ExxonMobil PNG Cover image: Formerly considered a bird-of-paradise, the Crested Satinbird (Cnemophilus macgregorii) is now known to belong to a small family of birds that occurs only in New Guinea’s central cordillera. Not previously reported from the PNG LNG Project Area, an isolated population of this restricted range species was found in the higher elevation forests at the western end of Hides Ridge. This bird was banded and released as part of the bird survey. PNG LNG is operated by a subsidiary of ExxonMobil in co-venture with: Biodiversity Assessment of the PNG LNG Upstream Project Area, Southern Highlands and Hela Provinces, Papua New Guinea Stephen Richards (Editor) TABLE OF CONTENTS Participants ...........................................................................................................................................................................................i Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................................i Acronyms and Abbreviations ...........................................................................................................................................................ii Glossary of Technical Terms ............................................................................................................................................................ iii Report Summary .........................................................................................................................................................................................................v Background and aims ................................................................................................................................................................................vi Major results .............................................................................................................................................................................................. viii References ...................................................................................................................................................................................................xii Appendices ..................................................................................................................................................................................................xx Ripot Sameri ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. xxii Bekgraun na as bilong sevei .............................................................................................................................................................. xxii Ol bikpela risal ......................................................................................................................................................................................... xxiv Chapter 1 – Vegetation. Fanie Venter and Amos Ona .....................................................................................................................................1 Summary .........................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Methods ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Results and Discussion ...............................................................................................................................................................................9 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14 References ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Chapter 2 – Frogs. Stephen Richards and Kyle Armstrong ........................................................................................................................... 53 Summary ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 54 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 55 Methods ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 55 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................................................................................ 60 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 77 References ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 78 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 81 Chapter 3 – Birds. Iain Woxvold and Leo Legra ............................................................................................................................................... 91 Summary ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 92 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 93 Methods ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 93 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................................................................................ 96 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................................................................................................106 References .................................................................................................................................................................................................106 Appendices ...............................................................................................................................................................................................111 Chapter 4 – Camera trap monitoring of terrestrial birds and mammals: A pilot study. Iain Woxvold and Ken Aplin.....121 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................................................122 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................................................................123 Methods .....................................................................................................................................................................................................124 Results and Discussion ..........................................................................................................................................................................125 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................................................................................................132