Loh Island, Torres Group, Vanuatu
Birds, reptiles, and mammals all made some exciting appearances today, in what proved to be our richest wildlife stop to date. We arrived off the seldom-visited island of Loh in the early morning, with a strong trade wind blowing and whitecaps in profusion. Fortunately, we managed to find a little shelter from the waves and our Zodiacs carried us through a narrow gap in the fringing reef and into a hidden cove tucked behind the mangroves and chunks of old coral. The village was snuggled under the trees and, with a string band playing some welcoming tunes, it was easy to get excited about a day in paradise. However, any tranquil thoughts were momentarily shattered by the three screaming local men, who, clad in just their penis sheaths and brandishing clubs, came rushing out of the scrub to present each boatload with a challenge greeting. It was all done in good humour, but it was easy to appreciate the impact that such a display would have had when it was practiced in sincerity centuries past.
Following a series of custom dances, we had a chance to examine some of the animals that the locals had on hand for our visit. Large coconut crabs sat underneath a palm tree while a pet Imperial dove and rainbow lorikeet sat in a nearby bush. Another small tree contained a small Pacific boa, the island's only snake species. We were soon to find more of these serpents when we ventured across the island with our local guides. They showed us a high-ceilinged but shallow cave that has been crucial for the survival of locals when devastating cyclones strike the island. In 1988, people from 3 villages all sheltered here and were thereby protected as the powerful winds and large waves ravaged the rest of the island. Close to 300 people shared the cave with its regular residents, the round-leaf bats and the Pacific boas. The tiny bats are insect eaters which roost in the ceiling recesses during the day, and forage in the surrounding forest at night. The boas are attracted to the cave to feed on the bats, and they manage to do some impressive climbing to reach the bat roosts.
Birds, reptiles, and mammals all made some exciting appearances today, in what proved to be our richest wildlife stop to date. We arrived off the seldom-visited island of Loh in the early morning, with a strong trade wind blowing and whitecaps in profusion. Fortunately, we managed to find a little shelter from the waves and our Zodiacs carried us through a narrow gap in the fringing reef and into a hidden cove tucked behind the mangroves and chunks of old coral. The village was snuggled under the trees and, with a string band playing some welcoming tunes, it was easy to get excited about a day in paradise. However, any tranquil thoughts were momentarily shattered by the three screaming local men, who, clad in just their penis sheaths and brandishing clubs, came rushing out of the scrub to present each boatload with a challenge greeting. It was all done in good humour, but it was easy to appreciate the impact that such a display would have had when it was practiced in sincerity centuries past.
Following a series of custom dances, we had a chance to examine some of the animals that the locals had on hand for our visit. Large coconut crabs sat underneath a palm tree while a pet Imperial dove and rainbow lorikeet sat in a nearby bush. Another small tree contained a small Pacific boa, the island's only snake species. We were soon to find more of these serpents when we ventured across the island with our local guides. They showed us a high-ceilinged but shallow cave that has been crucial for the survival of locals when devastating cyclones strike the island. In 1988, people from 3 villages all sheltered here and were thereby protected as the powerful winds and large waves ravaged the rest of the island. Close to 300 people shared the cave with its regular residents, the round-leaf bats and the Pacific boas. The tiny bats are insect eaters which roost in the ceiling recesses during the day, and forage in the surrounding forest at night. The boas are attracted to the cave to feed on the bats, and they manage to do some impressive climbing to reach the bat roosts.
