TIMOR-LESTE REPTILE & AMPHIBIAN SURVEY
THE WORKSHOP

The reason I was in the Hawaiian Islands was to particate in an IUCN-CI* workshop on New Guinea snakes and lizards. A group of expert herpetologists from around the world had been invited to the workshop to help determine the distribution and conservation status for each of the 304 currently described species. We would discuss the species, one at a time, and come to a consensus, as data was logged by CI fascilitators. I was surprised the group was so small, eight people only in total, although several noted herpetologists had been unable to attend and would be consulted later. We had our specialities: Glenn, skinks; Paul, geckos, myself, snakes, but we all contributed to each others groups.

* IUCN = International Union for the Conservation of Nature; CI = Conservation International.

The workshop participants: (back row l-r) Allen Allison, Fred Parker, Neil Cox, Oliver Tallowin (front tow l-r) Glenn Shea (with beer), Mark O'Shea, Paul Oliver, Phil Bowles,and Daniel who came up each day to sort out any logistical problems	Meeting Fred Parker at long last. Fred was a kiap or patrol officer in PNG in the 60s-70s. He also collected specimens for the MCZ, AMNH & CAS museums. I have corresponded with him since 1986 but this was the first time we had met.

Fred and Neil (and I) worked primarily on the snakes	Allen, Glenn and Oliver worked on the sphenomorphine skinks
Phil and Paul (and others) worked on the other lizards, especially Paul's geckos	Everyone then compared notes, photos and opinions

Working hard we managed to get through all 304 species in three days, finishing earlier than expected.

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