So many living things
p. 43 · Read in the full issue
A GREAT percentage of Papua New Guinea’s land mass is covered with a dense blanket of rainforest and exotic tangle of vines, creepers, flowers, plants and trees. Wild orchids blaze from the green background of rainforest canopy.
PNG has more orchids than any country in the world. Bird life proliferates in the forests of Papua New Guinea, including the many species of the famous bird of paradise. Of
the 43 known species of birds of paradise, 38 are found in Papua New Guinea. These brilliantly coloured birds perform bizarre rit ualistic and mating dances, and were hunt ed by early traders for their feathers. Most animals in Papua New Guinea are marsu pials, descendants from those found in Australia. Although not indigenous to Papua New Guinea, pigs are a valuable source of food and an important status
symbol among Highlands tribal people.
Rusa deer are a more recent arrival, brought into the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya by Dutch colonists, they then crossed into the Southwest part of the country. There are 200 species of reptiles, including 13 different turtle species and 100 snakes. PNG is a paradise for insects, and is home for the world’s largest butterfly, Queen Alexander’s Birdwing.