The Lost World - Page 2

Project

The main purpose of Philippe’s expedition is to draw an inventory of the reptiles and amphibians of Kaieteur National Park. He is assisted by two Guyanese research assistants and eleven Amerindian trainees living near the (officially uninhabited) park.

His third expedition to Kaieteur takes place in December 2005. The researchers, meanwhile, have an excellent knowledge of the area and there is no doubt that they will inventory dozens of new species for the area and discover many new ones to Science.

Small planes like this one were used to take aerial photographs of the falls and surroundings. © Philippe Kok

Philippe taking a bath in a small stream in the forest where some snakes and many frogs have been observed. © Philippe Kok/H. Sambhu

Philippe abseiling into the Kaieteur gorge (along the falls) in search of amphibians and reptiles species. © Philippe Kok/H. Sambhu

Techniques

The diversity of amphibian and reptile species is measured with specific techniques, in particular pitfall traps. This technique consists of a series of imbedded buckets along a fence, at intervals of about three meters. Amphibians and reptiles running along the fence fall into the buckets, which are checked twice a day. This technique allows collecting species that almost never would be discovered with traditional methods.

Other standard techniques are used as well, but the ‘opportunistic’ method is most effective for a trained herpetologist. It consists in exploring several habitats day and night, systematically searching the forest floor and the leafage for frogs, lizards and snakes.