Map of Timor-Leste (click to enlarge and view Phase VI fieldwork locations)
The Victor Valley College Tropical Research Initiative comprises the first ever intensive herpetofauna survey of Timor-Leste, the fifth youngest country in the world and Asia's newest country (at the the time of writing). For more information on the background to this project visit the Phase I home page.
Phase VI took place during late January and early February 2012 and included seven of the members from earlier phases of the survey. The entire team numbered 14, our largest field team to date. A list of participants for Phase VI follows:
Hinrich Kaiser (Instructor and Expedition Leader - Victor Valley College, Victorville, USA)
Mark O'Shea (Instructor and Deputy Leader)
Sven Mecke (Skink Specialist - Marburg University, Germany)
Caitlin Sanchez (Research Assistant - University of California, Riverside, USA)
Victor Valley College students:
Scott Heacox
David Taylor
Zach Brown - videographer
Melissa Carillo
Stephanie Hughes
Aaren Marsh
Gloria Morales
Justin Rader
Universidade Nacional do Timor-Leste students (The Jets):
Agivedo Ribeiro (Laca)
Zito Afranio Soares
One of "The Jets", Luis Lemos, had employment far from our study area and was unable to join us for Phase VI, and Benny was still in Sydney.
The VVC Phase VI team:
On their Troopies: Hinrich Kaiser
& Mark O'Shea
Standing: Stephanie Hughes, Caitlin Sanchez, Zito Afranio Soares,
Agivedo (Laca) Ribeiro, Aaren Marsh & Sven Mecke
Kneeling: Scott Heacox,
David Taylor, Melissa Carillo, Gloria Morales,
Justin Rader & Zach Brown
click to enlarge
The locations in Timor-Leste visited during Phase VI in 2012 are listed below.
During the project we also maintained a blog in the Expedition Field Notes section of this website.