Central Province
Magi Highway: Kupiano to Moreguina
(Rigo Road)

Kupiano is as far as I have been down the Magi Highway previously, so when we set off again, heading further southeast, it was new territory for me. We were heading for Morequina where the famous Papuan taipan known as "Fat Albert" had come from. This large snake was a favourite of Dave's, much as have the King cobra "Sleeping Beauty" at WMSP, but Fat Albert sadly passed away due to a soft tissue tumour when I was in-country in 2010 and Dave was in Geneva. That was when we discovered we should have been calling the snake "Albertina".

On the road into Moreguina we passed a really badly decomposed Southern white-lipped python (Leiopython hoserae) which was GPSed but not sampled, then it was photographed and removed from the road.

Southern white-lipped python, Leiopython hoserae

At Moreguina we visited a works and supply yard full of discarded metal sheeting, girders, other debris and several families with children. This is where Dave originally caught "Fat Albert" so we set to work searching and before long another Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni) was sighted. As the metal was moved both Jasper and I got our M1 tongs to the taipan but since Jasper was fractionally faster than me I granted him the honour of bagging the Moreguina taipan. Four taipan seen: two captured, one escaped, one DOR.

The works and supplies yard at Moreguina	The taipan was captured under the metal by the fence

It was getting dark as we visited the Kupiano health clinic to discuss snakebite medivac using Dave's ambulance, then we started for home.

It may be only 220 km back to Port Moresby but it would take us a good six hours as we planned to spot-light all the way. We leap frogged the vehicles, one going ahead and waiting at the next major bridge, then other following ten minutes or so later and then overtaking the waiting vehicle.

Our first find was a Brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) followed by a Slatey-grey snake (Stegonotus cucullatus).

Brown treesnake, Boiga irregularis
Slatey-grey snake, Stegonotus cucullatus

Further on we came across our fifth Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni) of the evening, a huge specimen which we estimated as close to 2.0 m by lying Owen (in High-Viz jacket) on the road next to it stretched out. This specimen was relatively fresh and we were heading inbound so we collected it for venom gland extraction.

Papuan taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus canni	Measured alongside Owen

We drove on but did not see anymore snakes, although five taipan and two colubrids was a fair list for the day. As we left Kwikila Dave was concerned about Papuan bandits known as raskols, armed gangs that car-jack vehicles and rob, rape or murder the occupants (both sexes sometimes). So from Kwikila onwards we drove at speed with the ambulance in front using is blues to warn anyone thinking of holding it up that it was not stopping, with me trying to keep up in the Pajero.

Papuan taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus canni

The last hour of the drive was just a case of trying to keep the lighter vehicle on all four-wheels on the road, without hitting a deep pot-hole or anything else in the road. It had been an exciting day and it was an exciting end to it, driving back like madmen towards Port Moresby.

A fitting last day's field trip.

This road sign aptly shows what happens when a taipan is being chased by a man wielding a bush knife. Don't chase taipan unless you are sure you know what to do if you catch one!