PNG’s first bird expert dies

PAPUA New Guinea’s first ornithologist (bird scientist) Paul Igag – internationally renowned for his work  in the Crater Mountain of Eastern Highlands – died suddenly last Friday night in Goroka.
Details of his death were not immediately available yesterday, however, the scientific community in both PNG and overseas is mourning the death of Igag, PNG’s first national expert on birds from PNG, who held a PhD.
From Madang, he was one of the first scientific staff at the young Research and Conservation Foundation of PNG, became one of the first scientific staff at the Wildlife Conservation Society PNG Programme, and then became a founder of the PNG Institute of Biological Research.
Igag was a leader in PNG’s movement toward greater scientific autonomy.
Dozens of students and his co-workers affectionately called him “Uncle Paul”.
Close friends and scientific colleagues have created an online memorial in memory of Igag, which they hope would create a good profile of his life and a last record and tribute of all of his accomplishments.
“Paul (Igag) was PNG’s first home-grown ornithologist,” said longtime colleague Dr Andrew Mack.
“He bridged the world of village PNG and Western academia. 
“In the field, Paul worked well with local assistants and he always trained up a good team of young men and women to help with his various field projects. 
“Back in town, Paul collaborated with top ornithologists worldwide.
“Paul’s research covered many topics, but his real passion was large parrots and his research was to outline the breeding biology and likely causes of threat to three species of large parrot found in the New Guinea rainforest.
“He made important discoveries about palm cockatoos and vulturine parrots that have and will continue to help guide conservation of these threatened species.”
Igag had worked on the conservation biology of various species at Crater Mountain since 1999 supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society (New York).
Supported by the Pacific Biological Foundation, he studied at the Australian National University in 2001 for a Masters under supervision by Rob Heinsohn and Sarah Legge.