Joe Cutler Live From the Banks of the Ogooue River

Join Joe live from the banks of the Ogooue River in Gabon, Africa. The landscape around the river is incredible and we'll check out how they are sampling the biodiversity in the river and learn more about the journey ahead.

Joe and his team have just arrived in Gabon to undertake a megatransect of the Ogooue River, Africa's last wild River! This hasn't been done for at least 140 years. What is a megatransect? It's a term used to describe a survey of biodiversity in a particular area. Joe is surveying the freshwater fish biodiversity along the length of the river, paying close attention to areas where dams are planned for the future.

Leeches, bot flies, wasps and tsetse flies – Joe Cutler has been bitten or stung by each one, all in search of tiny freshwater fish. Joe is a National Geographic Explorer, ichthyologist and conservationist in Central Africa. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, and currently works with The Nature Conservancy in Gabon. Over the past four years, Cutler has conducted seven fish sampling expeditions, collecting hundreds of fish species including dozens that are new to science.

[andrewherman]

Concur, the moths and frogs are amazing. I was quoted in 1993 as saying, "and on the fourth day God sat around making up new moths"

[andrewherman]

Ooooo. Inaturalist has your photos? Can I search your photos? Looking forward to seeing the insects!

[andrewherman]

Yes I am definitely interested in helping to identify new species. That's awesome! Please tell me who to contact.