you could imagine my career has been a series of jumps from one thing into
series of jumps from one thing into
series of jumps from one thing into another but actually there is a common
another but actually there is a common
another but actually there is a common thread linking them all together and it
thread linking them all together and it
thread linking them all together and it started when I was a little boy growing
started when I was a little boy growing
started when I was a little boy growing up in Melbourne in southern Australia
up in Melbourne in southern Australia
up in Melbourne in southern Australia and Port Phillip Bay is is the the water
and Port Phillip Bay is is the the water
and Port Phillip Bay is is the the water body that the city’s on and it was a
body that the city’s on and it was a
body that the city’s on and it was a wonderful natural playground and I
wonderful natural playground and I
wonderful natural playground and I discovered at the age of about eight or
discovered at the age of about eight or
discovered at the age of about eight or nine that there were fossils in the bay
nine that there were fossils in the bay
nine that there were fossils in the bay that were the bones of Wales and and a
that were the bones of Wales and and a
that were the bones of Wales and and a fish and so forth that had lived six
fish and so forth that had lived six
fish and so forth that had lived six million years ago in an ancient Bay that
million years ago in an ancient Bay that
million years ago in an ancient Bay that had long since vanished and so it was
had long since vanished and so it was
had long since vanished and so it was wonderful to be diving in the bay with
wonderful to be diving in the bay with
wonderful to be diving in the bay with my snorkel and flippers finding these
my snorkel and flippers finding these
my snorkel and flippers finding these remains of the ancient Bay in it somehow
remains of the ancient Bay in it somehow
remains of the ancient Bay in it somehow fired my imagination to become a
fired my imagination to become a
fired my imagination to become a paleontologist and so for a while I
paleontologist and so for a while I
paleontologist and so for a while I studied paleontology and then practiced
studied paleontology and then practiced
studied paleontology and then practiced as a professional and then became
as a professional and then became
as a professional and then became interested in modern mammals and did
interested in modern mammals and did
interested in modern mammals and did that for a while that grew out of a
that for a while that grew out of a
that for a while that grew out of a paleontological interests
paleontological interests
paleontological interests when I was in my late 20s I discovered
when I was in my late 20s I discovered
when I was in my late 20s I discovered the island of New Guinea and it’s an
the island of New Guinea and it’s an
the island of New Guinea and it’s an extraordinary place with amazing
extraordinary place with amazing
extraordinary place with amazing biodiversity I initially went there
biodiversity I initially went there
biodiversity I initially went there really cause of a interest in
really cause of a interest in
really cause of a interest in paleontology in some ways the New Guinea
paleontology in some ways the New Guinea
paleontology in some ways the New Guinea and rainforests represent an ancient
and rainforests represent an ancient
and rainforests represent an ancient living relic of environments that
living relic of environments that
living relic of environments that prospered in Australia four or five
prospered in Australia four or five
prospered in Australia four or five million years ago but as I went there to
million years ago but as I went there to
million years ago but as I went there to study I realized that the modern form of
study I realized that the modern form of
study I realized that the modern form of New Guinea was very poorly documented
New Guinea was very poorly documented
New Guinea was very poorly documented and the very first mountaintop that I
and the very first mountaintop that I
and the very first mountaintop that I went to we discovered a gigantic rat
went to we discovered a gigantic rat
went to we discovered a gigantic rat nearly a meter long and a wallaby which
nearly a meter long and a wallaby which
nearly a meter long and a wallaby which was medium-sized animal both of which
was medium-sized animal both of which
was medium-sized animal both of which were unknown to science and so that
were unknown to science and so that
were unknown to science and so that fired my imagination it’s a very
fired my imagination it’s a very
fired my imagination it’s a very difficult environment to work in malaria
difficult environment to work in malaria
difficult environment to work in malaria is a major problem I’ve had arrows
is a major problem I’ve had arrows
is a major problem I’ve had arrows pointed at me in anger from tribal
pointed at me in anger from tribal
pointed at me in anger from tribal people it can be really tough at times
people it can be really tough at times
people it can be really tough at times but the rewards are simply enormous and
but the rewards are simply enormous and
but the rewards are simply enormous and I suppose the high point of my whole
I suppose the high point of my whole
I suppose the high point of my whole career in New Guinea was in 1994 when we
career in New Guinea was in 1994 when we
career in New Guinea was in 1994 when we discovered a kind of tree kangaroo which
discovered a kind of tree kangaroo which
discovered a kind of tree kangaroo which lived on the highest mountains in the
lived on the highest mountains in the
lived on the highest mountains in the island of New Guinea it lived above the
island of New Guinea it lived above the
island of New Guinea it lived above the tree line in this creature so it’s in
tree line in this creature so it’s in
tree line in this creature so it’s in the alpine herb fields and so forth so
the alpine herb fields and so forth so
the alpine herb fields and so forth so it’s a tree kangaroo that doesn’t live
it’s a tree kangaroo that doesn’t live
it’s a tree kangaroo that doesn’t live in trees and even more enigmatic sort of
in trees and even more enigmatic sort of
in trees and even more enigmatic sort of thing and you would stand about that why
thing and you would stand about that why
thing and you would stand about that why it’s probably the size of a Labrador
it’s probably the size of a Labrador
it’s probably the size of a Labrador that’s sort of sized animal but looks
that’s sort of sized animal but looks
that’s sort of sized animal but looks like a small panda black and white very
like a small panda black and white very
like a small panda black and white very dense fur a very time because it lives
dense fur a very time because it lives
dense fur a very time because it lives in a habitat where this very few people
in a habitat where this very few people
in a habitat where this very few people and to think that that most
and to think that that most
and to think that that most extraordinary kangaroo had survived
extraordinary kangaroo had survived
extraordinary kangaroo had survived until almost the end of the 20th century
until almost the end of the 20th century
until almost the end of the 20th century before had been discovered by science
before had been discovered by science
before had been discovered by science was a humbling experience wonderful
was a humbling experience wonderful
was a humbling experience wonderful experience some tree kangaroos are
experience some tree kangaroos are
experience some tree kangaroos are considered sacred the beliefs varied
considered sacred the beliefs varied
considered sacred the beliefs varied from place to place across the island
from place to place across the island
from place to place across the island but in the case of dingy so that large
but in the case of dingy so that large
but in the case of dingy so that large black and white animal that is
black and white animal that is
black and white animal that is considered sacred by the money people up
considered sacred by the money people up
considered sacred by the money people up in that area and they say that when they
in that area and they say that when they
in that area and they say that when they come across the animal it raises its
come across the animal it raises its
come across the animal it raises its hands in the air like that and whistles
hands in the air like that and whistles
hands in the air like that and whistles goes that sort of noise and they say
goes that sort of noise and they say
goes that sort of noise and they say that’s a recognition of kinship and that
that’s a recognition of kinship and that
that’s a recognition of kinship and that it is saying I’m your ancestor and they
it is saying I’m your ancestor and they
it is saying I’m your ancestor and they very much respect that they say that
very much respect that they say that
very much respect that they say that even their hunting dogs creep past on
even their hunting dogs creep past on
even their hunting dogs creep past on the ground because they don’t want to
the ground because they don’t want to
the ground because they don’t want to of the very August ancestor animal but
of the very August ancestor animal but
of the very August ancestor animal but you know as a biologist I know that tree
you know as a biologist I know that tree
you know as a biologist I know that tree kangaroos do that when they meet another
kangaroos do that when they meet another
kangaroos do that when they meet another tree kangaroo particularly males they
tree kangaroo particularly males they
tree kangaroo particularly males they protecting their territory and you know
protecting their territory and you know
protecting their territory and you know if you don’t move on you get scratched
if you don’t move on you get scratched
if you don’t move on you get scratched and the whistle presumably is a similar
and the whistle presumably is a similar
and the whistle presumably is a similar sort of a thing a territorial marker
working with the people of Papua New
working with the people of Papua New Guinea has been one of the greatest
Guinea has been one of the greatest
Guinea has been one of the greatest privileges of my life because I’m I’m a
privileges of my life because I’m I’m a
privileges of my life because I’m I’m a biologist I’m interested in nature and
biologist I’m interested in nature and
biologist I’m interested in nature and when you go into a village with those
when you go into a village with those
when you go into a village with those people and they start talking to you
people and they start talking to you
people and they start talking to you about nature you realize what you’re
about nature you realize what you’re
about nature you realize what you’re getting is not just that man’s life
getting is not just that man’s life
getting is not just that man’s life experience of a particular species but
experience of a particular species but
experience of a particular species but his father’s experience in his
his father’s experience in his
his father’s experience in his grandfather’s experience way way back
grandfather’s experience way way back
grandfather’s experience way way back being built on because the stories are
being built on because the stories are
being built on because the stories are told over and over again and the the
told over and over again and the the
told over and over again and the the best of the hunters in New Guinea are
best of the hunters in New Guinea are
best of the hunters in New Guinea are like walking encyclopedia of knowledge
like walking encyclopedia of knowledge
like walking encyclopedia of knowledge about natural systems now of course
about natural systems now of course
about natural systems now of course their culture is different in the way
their culture is different in the way
their culture is different in the way things are expressed is different and it
things are expressed is different and it
things are expressed is different and it often takes time to work your way
often takes time to work your way
often takes time to work your way through that and sometimes is very
through that and sometimes is very
through that and sometimes is very challenging that he knows religious
challenging that he knows religious
challenging that he knows religious because they’re very different from
because they’re very different from
because they’re very different from western lifestyle but nevertheless some
western lifestyle but nevertheless some
western lifestyle but nevertheless some it was one of the great privileges ever
it was one of the great privileges ever
it was one of the great privileges ever to to sit at the feet of those
to to sit at the feet of those
to to sit at the feet of those professors really and learn what they
professors really and learn what they
professors really and learn what they knew you know I should have understood
knew you know I should have understood
knew you know I should have understood the threat that climate change
the threat that climate change
the threat that climate change represents earlier than I did because
represents earlier than I did because
represents earlier than I did because when I was working in New Guinea through
when I was working in New Guinea through
when I was working in New Guinea through the 1980s and 90s every mountain summer
the 1980s and 90s every mountain summer
the 1980s and 90s every mountain summer I climbed I saw evidence of the tree
I climbed I saw evidence of the tree
I climbed I saw evidence of the tree line advancing so there was as good a
line advancing so there was as good a
line advancing so there was as good a fingerprint as you could have ever want
fingerprint as you could have ever want
fingerprint as you could have ever want to see of the warming of the planet you
to see of the warming of the planet you
to see of the warming of the planet you know because the tree lines he’ll grow
know because the tree lines he’ll grow
know because the tree lines he’ll grow it is by climatic constraint but it was
it is by climatic constraint but it was
it is by climatic constraint but it was only really when i finished my fieldwork
only really when i finished my fieldwork
only really when i finished my fieldwork and I’ve been at Harvard for a year came
and I’ve been at Harvard for a year came
and I’ve been at Harvard for a year came back to Australia and was asked to
back to Australia and was asked to
back to Australia and was asked to advise a state government on scientific
advise a state government on scientific
advise a state government on scientific issues that i SAT back and read the
issues that i SAT back and read the
issues that i SAT back and read the periodicals scientific periodicals for
periodicals scientific periodicals for
periodicals scientific periodicals for the last few years and realized that I
the last few years and realized that I
the last few years and realized that I had missed just what a major threat this
had missed just what a major threat this
had missed just what a major threat this climate issue was and it was at that
climate issue was and it was at that
climate issue was and it was at that moment I realized everything and I
moment I realized everything and I
moment I realized everything and I helped precious all of the biodiversity
helped precious all of the biodiversity
helped precious all of the biodiversity that the even perhaps the security of a
that the even perhaps the security of a
that the even perhaps the security of a civilization was under threat by this
civilization was under threat by this
civilization was under threat by this was then I decided to write a book about
was then I decided to write a book about
was then I decided to write a book about the problem and wrote the weather makers
the problem and wrote the weather makers
the problem and wrote the weather makers and since then I that’s been my life i
and since then I that’s been my life i
and since then I that’s been my life i guess i’ve been involved with the
guess i’ve been involved with the
guess i’ve been involved with the climate issue ever since
”
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