· Biodiversity Roll Call
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
· Looking Ahead

Global 200 Snapshot

This region is filled with an amazing assortment of plants and animals, many of them found only on this island. This Global 200 ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Southern New Guinea lowland rain forests; Vogelkop-Aru lowland rain forests

Biodiversity Roll Call

Sometimes all you have to do is hear the names of local creatures to appreciate the amazing diversity of life in a particular part of the world. Among the inhabitants of the southern New Guinea lowland forests are such remarkably named creatures as the lesser tube-nosed bat, the spangled kookaburra, and the greater bird of paradise. And believe it or not, these fantastic-sounding names are only half as interesting as the species that bear them!

Special Features

The lowland forests of southern New Guinea are generally richer than the montane forests of this tropical island. Among the many kinds of plants growing here are more than 1,200 species of trees and about 2,000 species of ferns.

	The kookaburra, an 18-inch-long (46-cm) bird that feeds on insects, birds, mice, lizards, and snakes, is probably best known for its raucous, laughing call.

Wild Side

Step into these forests and you just might find all the wildly named organisms named above. With luck you'll catch sight of the lesser tube-nosed bat, a small bat with tubular nostrils that whistles when it flies. But if you hear an odd, rattled laugh, look up and you might find a spangled kookaburra, a bird with a brown head and brilliant blue feathers on its back and tail. And definitely keep an eye out for the fantastic greater bird of paradise, which sports a stunning array of green, yellow, and maroon feathers, and a dashing white-and-yellow plume.

Cause for Concern

Logging is putting increased pressure on these forests, especially in coastal areas. Road construction, shifting cultivation, agricultural expansion, and plantation development all constitute additional threats.

Looking Ahead

WWF and many partners, from the World Bank to the Yale School for Forestry to the Nature Conservancy, are working hard with local people figure out the best ways to protect the biodiversity of this largest and highest tropical island in the world. The focus is on conserving forests through sustainable forestry, building conservation management capacity, combating illegal wildlife trade, and addressing threats from mining. For example, WWF is developing a Conservation Leadership Initiative for Papua New Guinea to strengthen resource management and conservation capacity by enhancing the skills of conservation professionals. Drawing on each organization’s expertise, a working group of non-government organizations will develop the leadership training strategy: The Smithsonian Institution will focus on conservation science training, the Nature Conservancy on institutional management and efficiency, and WWF on community-based management. Conservation organizations, in partnership with USAID and the World Bank, are also working to integrate biodiversity priorities into regional development plans and assess ways to enhance community and certified forestry in Papua New Guinea.