Using google maps to find new species

[Supergeorge123]

There are still some areas left on this earth that have been unexplored so in my spare time i like to scour google maps to find remote areas that could have undiscovered fish species hiding in them if a scientific expedition were ever to be launched to the areas. If anyone else here does this hopefully we can all contribute to this thread and maybe some budding scientist somewhere could be inspired to secure funding to go check them out.

The first area that seems quite promising is a large wetland located in West Papua. A lot of West Papua is unexplored but unfortunately a lot has been and continues to be destroyed since indonesia annexed the area. It is still one of the most unexplored regions on earth. Coordinates are in the photo if you want to check it out.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Wow! That looks interesting duanes , would u be interested? That looks awesome! You could find more than just new fish species. This is actually interesting because I watched a video of how they are doing that to Antarctica. Looking for new mammals and plants in Antarctica. Would be cool of some of yall got together and went out to Papua.

 

[Supergeorge123]

Another area of interest, also in West Papua, is a region near the baliem river that consists of a chain of dozens of small lakes. What species swims in them i would like to know.

 

[Supergeorge123]

A third area, this time in Brazil. The junction of the Curuena and Jutai rivers. This is not just a meeting point for 2 of the most remote rivers in Brazil, but is also a region filled with oxbow lakes and other bodies of water, located in the deep heart of the Amazon rainforest.

 

[robmcd]

I've used Google Maps to find certain hidden lakes, ponds, and deeper spots in creeks to fish in Costa Rica. It really paid off to geek out on it for a couple weeks prior to my last trip there in 2018.

 

[Supergeorge123]

Wow! That looks interesting duanes , would u be interested? That looks awesome! You could find more than just new fish species. This is actually interesting because I watched a video of how they are doing that to Antarctica. Looking for new mammals and plants in Antarctica. Would be cool of some of yall got together and went out to Papua.

One of the things that keeps West Papua unexplored is that there is a lot of political violence in the country and an active low level insurgency against the Indonesian government. Any expedition to the region would have to take into account this risk.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Ahhh. That makes sense

 

[Supergeorge123]

A fourth area, somewhat less extreme. A lone lake in the middle of the rainforest, this time in Papua New Guinea. Situated between the Wawoi river and what appears to be a second, unnamed waterway (left side). This lake actually has a name, called lake campbell. I could not find any information on any species living in the lake nor any record of anyone who attempted to find out. In the image you can make out a degraded airstrip, which appeared to be in marginal use as of 2018.

 

[dr exum]

nice! sounds fun!

just need a budget!

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Yeah. I wish I could go . That would be awesome, but, I am 13, have barely any money, and don't know a lot about fish lol. Maybe you could get funding from a fish and wildlife conservation?? Do they even do that?