4.Yohannes Bosco Maro
Survey at Marina Valen

The Mamberamo area is proposed to become a reserve by Petocz (1987), because of its high biodiversity. Conservation International wants to survey this area and invited Br. Henk van Mastrigt, who on his turn invited Yohanes Don Bosco Maro and Rinto H. Mambrasar to accompany him on that trip.
Marina Valen, located about 2º 23’ S and 138º 12’ E, has a population of 194 inhabitans, surviving with gardening, hunting and fishing. Four habitat were selected for the survey: 1. primary forest at Mt Hacauwa (540 m), 2. side of the River Kena (60 m), 3. primary forest (120 m) and garden area (80 m).
In 18 days 117 different butterfly species (Papilionoidea) were recorded: 10 Papilionidae, 10 Pieridae, 45 Lycaenidae and 52 Nymphalidae.
The threat to nature in this area at the moment is only the hunting and fishing by natives. Full results of this survey is presented in three papers: a training report, a final paper by Yohanes Bosco Maro (2004 and 2005) and a training report by Rinto H. Mambrasar (2004).

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