The natural wonders of the Island nation

Papua New Guinea is located in one of the world’s ‘hot spots’ of land and

.X. marine biodiversity. It has one of the richest and least damaged natural environments on the planet, consisting of trop ical forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, mangroves, sea grass beds and coral reef systems.

It is home to some of the world’s strangest and most spectac ular flora and fauna, including the world’s largest butterflies, longest lizard, tallest tropical trees, over 2500 species of orchids, six species of attractive tree kangaroo, two species of coral

By Sam Vulum

sponges, nudibranch and reef fish. PNG is perhaps most famous for its birds, which

include three species of the large flightless cassowary, 33 of the world’s 42 species of birds of paradise, nine species of bower bird, 26 species of kingfisher, 50 species of pigeon (including the world’s largest) and 55 species of parrot. PNG has realised this huge diversity of its natural heritage and is doing everything it can to protect and conserve it.

The Department of Environment and Conservation, first established in 1974, has particular responsibility in working with the community to protect this heritage. ■