DFAT supported the launch of an expedition lead by Tim Flannery to Bougainville and the Solomon Islands to look for the region's elusive monkey-faced bats and giant rats. While the species are endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago they were first described only in the 1990s and even today little is known about their distribution. But we know enough to want to know more: monkey-faced bats have teeth capable of cracking green coconuts, and giant rats measure nearly a metre long! Both rank as some of the most spectacular megafauna on earth.

The expedition follows an exciting workshop held by the Australian Museum in April during which Professor Flannery shared his knowledge on the region's charismatic megafauna and lead discussions about community engagement and research methods for the expedition. DFAT support for this initiative was through the International Cultural Visits program, providing funding for 7 delegates from Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. The delegates, who are community leaders and scientists, were critical in shaping the context for the conservation work and ensuring its success. Their knowledge is invaluable to the overall experimental design of the expedition, as it is these local scientists who will lead the project and become the next generation of leaders for their nations' conservation. The expedition provides the Australian Museum with an incredible opportunity to learn from the Western Pacific cultural and scientific partners leading the project, and will hopefully lead to a lasting collaboration with expedition partners in the future.

To read more about the expedition, see ABC News and The Conversation