Victor Valley College Tropical Research Initiative
Herpetofauna of Timor-Leste
Phase I

Viqueque to Loré

Map of Timor-Leste showing route to Loré, Lautem District.
(click to enlarge and view 2009 fieldwork locations)

The road from Viqueque to Loré, along the south coast, was reportedly in poor repair, at least for its final stretch, so the expedition drove back to Baucau, and east along the north coast, before turning south again before Lautem, for Lospalos.

The occuping Japanese forces in WWII forced the Timorese to excavate a huge cave system at Venilale, between Viqueque and Baucau.

Enroute we visited the caves at Venilale on the Viqueque to Baucau road, hewn from the rock by Timorese under duress from the occupying Japanese during WWII. We also resupplied and re-fueled at Baucau, the second largest town after Dili.

Stocking up on supplies and refueling in Baucau.

Several monitor lizards (Varanus sp.) were seen sprinting across the road into arid coastal scrub during the drive. Whethere these were Timor monitors (V.timorensis) or the Mangove monitor (V.indicus) of New Guinea, which has been reported as present in the past, could not be ascertained and searches failed to reveal a specimen or provide the closer examination necessary for a positive identification.

Saltwater crocodile, Crocodylus porosus, under the Malailela River bridge, Lautem District.

A subadult Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) was sighted under the road bridge over the Malailela River, shortly before the expedition turned south for Lospalos.

Additionally a DOR Island pitviper (Cryptelytrops insularis) was collected off the road a little way off the bridge.

Lospalos, Lautem District.

Going south from Lospalos, the road deteriorated further as it passed through dipterocarp forest covered mountains to Loré on the Timor Sea, the first time the expedition had visited the south coast.

Dipterocarp forest habitat between Lospalos and Loré.

Loré is a series of several villages stretching from several kilometres inland to the coast. Loré 1, the expedition's destination, is actually on the beach.